Kentucky 31-0 Southern Miss 0
LEXINGTON – September 1, 2024 – DAVID LEVERIDGE
Kentucky kicked off the 2024 football season hosting the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The game was delayed from the planned kickoff at 7:45 pm and did not start until 10:05 pm due to rain and lighting in the area. Weather was a huge part of today’s game as the game was initially delayed for 2.5 hours and with lighting still present in the Lexington area, another lightning delay ended the game. Early in the third quarter Kentucky scored the game’s final touchdown was caught by WR Jordan Dingle and gave the CATS a 31-0 lead over Southern Miss. At the final weather delay team officials from both schools decided to end the game, and Kentucky credited with the win even though the full four quarters was not played in its entirety.
Season preview:
This season has seen major changes within the program and expectations continue to rise as Liam Cohen the former UK offensive coordinator left Lexington to be a coordinator in the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bush Hamden replaced Cohen. Kentucky has a new quarterback this year with Georgia Transfer Brock Vandergriff expected to take the majority of the first team snaps with heralded expectations as a potential first round NFL draft pick. Kentucky has returned several key veteran peace’s who will play a pivotal role if Kentucky is to be successful this season. Wide Receivers Barion Brown, and Dane Key will be crucial on the offensive side of the ball, while Defensive Tackle Deone Walker and JJ Weaver anchor the defense. Two new teams have recently joined the SEC with the Addition of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners who left the BIG 12 conference. During the offseason Kentucky football updated the lighting in the stadium with an ultramodern lighting system equipped with flashing blue strobe light, and helped improve the fan experience of Kroger Field.
Game Recap:
Kentucky opened the first half scoring twenty-four unanswered points. While the offense was not perfect and Vandergriff threw a costly interception on the CATS opening drive, he redeemed himself throwing two touchdowns to Star Wide Receiver Barrion Brown both 12-yard completions. The Kentucky defense was superb in the first half, forcing an interception and forcing two sacks. Southern Miss had a couple of drives that crossed mid field but was unable to score the ball. Kentucky added to the lead with a one-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter by RB Demie Sumo- Karngbaye. In the second quarter The CATS also scored on a 41-yard Field goal by kicker Alex Raynor. At intermission Kentucky led Southern Miss 24-0.
In the second half Southern Miss received the ball going three and out as the Kentucky defense was aggressive and stopped the golden Hawks momentum from moving the chains. Kentucky responded with a quick score going on a seven play eighty-four-yard drive completed by a Jordan Dingle five yard receiving touchdown putting the CATS up 31-0 over Southern Miss. The game was delayed again due to lighting in the area and both teams headed to the locker room. Fans also began to head to the exit gates and soon after the game was called, and Kentucky credited with the 31-0 win.
First Quarter– Kentucky received the ball on the opening kickoff. UK had a good opening drive and marched the ball down the field into miss territory, but Vandergriff was picked off on a tipped ball. On the ensuing Southern Miss possession UK’s Jamus Dumas Johnson picks off Southern Miss pass attempt. Vandergriff highlighted his mobility using his legs picking up a first down on a 3rd and 8 play, gaining eleven yards. Vandergriff later finds WR Brown in the endzone for a twelve-yard passing touchdown, the play capped of a twelve play fifty-nine-yard drive and Kentucky led 7-0. Southern Miss last drive of the quarter had success moving the ball and moved the ball into the redzone as time expired in the quarter. At the end of the first quarter Kentucky led 7-0.
2nd Quarter Kentucky scored seventeen unanswered points in the quarter and really highlighted its dominance over Southern Miss on both sides of the ball. Kentucky opened the quarter picking off the Southern Miss Quarterback in the endzone when JQ Hardaway picked up the interception. Heavy torrential rain started to fall in the area making the ball hard to catch and UK went three and out on the next offensive possession. The Kentucky defense continued to dominate the line of scrimmage and DB Tre ‘Vonn Ripka sacked the quarterback. Kentucky’s first score of the quarter happened when FG kicker Alex Raynor connected on a forty-one-yard field goal. Kentucky later scored on a Rushing Touchdown when RB Demi Sumo- Kargbaye scored on a one-yard run and completed the seven play seventy-five-yard drive. As the half was near completion Vandergriff threw Brown for a twelve-yard receiving touchdown and completed the three plays twenty-nine-yard drive. At intermission Kentucky had a comfortable lead of 24-0 over Southern Miss.
3rd Quarter in a noticeably short quarter Kentucky scored the games final Touchdown when Jordan Dingle caught a five-yard receiving touchdown from Vandergriff. Kentucky led 31-0. Shortly after the Dingle Touchdown the game was delayed again due to inclement weather and both teams were ordered off the field. Fans began to head to the exit games and the game was called and Kentucky was credited with the 31-0 win.
Kentucky will begin SEC Conference play next week Hosting the South Carolina Game Cocks in a pivotal matchup. If Kentucky wants to keep the post season bowl game streak alive, Kentucky will need to win the game against South Carolina. Kentucky’s schedule is challenging this year with home games against Georgia, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Louisville, and road games at Ole Miss, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas the path to winning six games required for a Bowl game is not easy. The game against South Carolina is scheduled to kickoff at 3:30 pm Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ABC.
