The Kentucky protection heard all of it week. After giving up a mean of greater than 40 factors per recreation during the last three contests, all losses, the UK defenders knew they wanted to point out enchancment.
On Saturday evening in opposition to Mississippi State, the Cats’ defensive unit, below the course of defensive coordinator Brad White, stepped up. And in a really massive manner. As Kentucky gained 24-3 at Davis Wade Stadium amidst a refrain of cow bells, it was the UK protection main the way in which.
Kentucky held MSU to 218 yards of whole offense, together with simply 73 yards on the bottom. UK compelled MSU into six sequence of three and outs. The Cats had eight tackles for loss, 5 sacks and two cross breakups. Outside of an 88-yard drive that resulted in a area aim, the Cats allowed simply 130 yards on 11 drives. The Cats held the Bulldogs to a mean of simply 3.3 yards per play within the recreation. Kentucky allowed the fewest factors in an SEC highway recreation since 1979 when the Cats beat Florida 31-3.
.@jjtimeee SACK to pressure a TURNOVER ON DOWNS. 👊 pic.twitter.com/Wu8EehsIWb
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) November 5, 2023
UK head coach Mark Stoops was comfortable to get a win. And the previous defensive coordinator in him preferred how the Kentucky protection performed.
“We did what we had to do to get a road win,” Stoops informed the SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang following the sport. “We needed a victory. We talked all week about get the victory by any means necessary. This was far from pretty but the defense did a heck of a job.”
The Cats additionally acquired one other defensive rating, the fourth to date this season, within the recreation. It got here when senior linebacker D’Eryk Jackson picked off Mississippi State’s Mike Wright and scampered 28 yards untouched for a landing. That marked the tenth time that the Cats have had an interception return for a landing within the final 4 seasons. The landing made it 14-3 within the second quarter and the Cats by no means regarded again on their technique to profitable in Starkville.
Twenty-six yard decide 6️⃣, @Derykjackson4.
📺 – @SECNetwork: pic.twitter.com/r9XxgMDR2m
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) November 5, 2023
“It’s a team game. A week ago, we didn’t play very good,” Stoops informed Lang after the sport. “They bounced back tonight and I figured they would.”
Kentucky allowed the fewest factors to a Southeastern Conference opponent since beating these identical Bulldogs 24-2 at Kroger Field in 2020. Stoops gained for the primary time in Starkville and UK gained at Mississippi State for the primary time since 2008. More importantly, the Cats snapped a three-game shedding streak and, within the course of, turned bowl eligible for the eighth consecutive season.
“We needed this win,” Stoops stated. “We had lost three straight. We went on the road, a place we hadn’t played very good. I’m proud of this team. It wasn’t pretty but it’s a victory and we’ll take it.”
On this evening, it was the Kentucky protection main the Cats to a a lot wanted win in Starkville. And within the course of, White’s unit acquired a little bit of redemption for the previous three weeks.
