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What we learned from Kentucky football's 17-13 loss to Tennessee

Jon Hale
Courier Journal

LEXINGTON — Lynn Bowden's heroics finally ran out against Tennessee.

Facing fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line, Bowden was stopped on a quarterback keeper for no gain with 1:17 left. Kentucky was unable to force a stop on Tennessee's final possession in what ended up a 17-13 loss.

Bowden ran for 114 yards on 26 carries but completed just 4 of 7 passes for 25 yards and threw one interception in the game. The loss dropped his record to 2-2 since moving from wide receiver to Kentucky's starting quarterback.

Rea:Can Kentucky football continue to start Lynn Bowden at quarterback?

Kentucky lost despite possessing the ball for more than 40 minutes of game time and rushing for 302 yards. 

"We got to find a way to get the ball in the end zone and that's the bottom line," UK coach Mark Stoops said. "Again, you make that yard, you make a couple plays, you get the ball in the end zone and it's a much different situation, much different locker room. But it didn't happen and we got to regroup and get back to work, and I'm sure this team will."

Here is what we learned from the game:

Florida flashbacks

Kentucky fans could be forgiven for feeling apprehension when Tennessee switched to quarterback Jarrett Guarantano in the second half.

While the “backup quarterback curse” has been overblown, Saturday’s game marked the second time this season an SEC East rival has made a quarterback switch in the game and subsequently moved the ball at will against Kentucky’s defense.

Like Florida backup quarterback Kyle Trask, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 126 yards and ran for one touchdown after an injury forced him into action against Kentucky, Guarantano led his own comeback, completing his first seven passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns to give the Volunteers a 17-13 lead with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter.

"(Marquez) Callaway and (Jauan) Jennings, they're really good players, they're big, strong guys and it seemed like they came down with about everyone of the 50/50 balls," Stoops said. "You take that out and, again, I mean you can't, but I felt like the defense was really playing hard and we had a good plan and we got to win some one-on-ones."

Kentucky did stop two Tennessee drives with Guarantano at quarterback after the go-ahead touchdown. The second stop came with a fumble from running back Ty Chandler on the first play of the drive. That turnover set up the drive on which Bowden was stopped just short of the goal line.

Guarantano iced the game with a 10-yard keeper on third-and-4 on the final possession.

More:Offensive imbalance takes a toll on Kentucky and its total reliance on Lynn Bowden

Kentucky can start fast

For the first time this season, Kentucky scored on its opening drive. The Wildcats scored a touchdown in the first quarter for just the second time in nine games.

Not only did Eddie Gran’s offense give Kentucky and early lead, it did so in dominant fashion, marching 75 yards on 17 plays over 10:18 of game time before A.J. Rose scored on 2-yard touchdown run from the “wildcat” formation. Tennessee, which won the coin toss and elected to defer its possession until the second half, did not touch the ball for the first time until the 4:42 mark in the first quarter.

Kentucky built on the momentum of its opening drive, which featured just two passes, by forcing a three-and-out on Tennessee’s first possession. Sophomore outside linebacker Josh Paschal blocked the ensuing punt, which walk-on fullback Drew Schlegel recovered at the Tennessee 24-yard line.

Two plays later, redshirt freshman running back Kavosiey Smoke scored on a 22-yard run to give Kentucky a 13-0 lead. The Wildcats have now scored 30 total points in the first quarter this season.

"I was really proud of our guys," UK offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said. "I thought they battled. We talked about we had to come out fast. We went up 13-0. I thought they did everything that we asked them to do."

Replay:Wildcats lack the offensive punch to put Vols away

Kicking worries resurface

Kentucky’s second-half play-calling was affected by Chance Poore having an extra point blocked after the Wildcats’ second touchdown. Trailing by four after Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown, Mark Stoops was unable to play for a field goal to tie. 

Had Poore converted that PAT, Kentucky could have kicked a field goal on fourth down to tie the game instead of going for the touchdown with the Bowden keeper.

The miscue marked Kentucky’s third missed PAT of the season. The first two cost walk-on Matt Ruffolo his job at kicker, but Poore, who was removed from the starting position early in the season, was unable to build on the momentum of a 43-yard field goal against Missouri.

Kentucky entered the day ranked 118th nationally in PAT percentage and field-goal percentage.

"It bothers me," Stoops said. "We got to continue to look at it and look at options and get better."

Jon Hale:jahale@courier-journal.com; Twitter:@JonHale_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today:courier-journal.com/jonh.