SEC football final: Kentucky 35, Missouri 28
Live updates from Kentucky football’s SEC opener against the Missouri Tigers at Kroger Field.
Final: Kentucky 35, Missouri 28
Note: UK’s defense held on 4th-and-13 at its own 45 and took over on downs with 1:36 left.
Note: Missouri blocked a 37-yard UK field goal attempt and took over at own 45 with 2:07 left.
Note: UK’s Chris Rodriguez has scored four touchdowns -- three by rush, one by pass.
Note: Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak is 29-of-44 for 266 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
Note: Through six quarters, Kentucky had committed five turnovers while forcing zero. Cats were +10 in turnover margin in 2020. UK’s Jacquez Jones intercepts a Missouri pass on second play of the second half to give the Cats their first forced turnover of the season.
Note: Kentucky drove 84 yards but Chris Rodriguez fumbled into the end zone and Missouri recovered with 1:41 left in 1H. Tigers then marched 80 yards for score with four seconds left before halftime.
Note: Wan’Dale Robinson has three catches for 57 yards and one run for 64 yards.
Scoring summary
Kentucky 7, Missouri 0 - On the game’s second play, UK wide out Wan’Dale Robinson goes 64 yards on a jet sweep to the Tigers’ 8-yard line. Three plays later, Will Levis hits a wide open Chris Rodriguez in the flat for a 5-yard touchdown with 12:52 left in the first quarter.
Kentucky 14, Missouri 0 - Two possessions, two touchdowns for the Cats. UK goes 80 yards in 12 plays to extend the lead. Rodriguez scored on a two-yard run, the fifth consecutive game in which the junior has scored a rushing TD. A 19-yard pass from Levis to Josh Ali was the biggest gainer on the drive. There’s 5:13 left in the first quarter.
Kentucky 14, Missouri 7 - Mizzou marches right back down the field, traveling 75 yards in 10 plays for the visitors’ first score of the night. Quarterback Connor Bazelak hit tight end Daniel Parker, Jr. in the back of the end zone for a six-yard score on third-and-goal with 27 seconds left in the first quarter. A 24-yard screen pass by Bazelak to Tyler Badie got Missouri moving.
Kentucky 21, Missouri 7 - Levis connects with Robinson on a 49-yard pass -- nice diving catch by Robinson -- that sets up a 3-yard Levis run for a touchdown with 9:26 left in the first half. Robinson now has a 64-yard run and a 49-yard reception.
Kentucky 21, Missouri 14 - UK drove 84 yards only to see Rodriguez fumble into the end zone. Missouri recovered for the touchback. The Tigers then marched 80 yards in nine play s with Bazelak hitting Keke Chism for a 17-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone with four seconds left before halftime.
Kentucky 28, Missouri 14 - UK’s defense forces first runover as linebacker Jacquez Jones intercepts Bazelak on the Tigers’ second play of the second half. Taking over at the Missouri 38, UK needs just three plays to score. Rodriguez rips off a 31-yard run that sets up his three-yard score with 13:19 left in the third quarter.
Kentucky 28, Missouri 21 - Tigers answer right back, marching 75 yards in 10 plays to slice Kentucky’s lead back to one score. A six-yard shovel pass by Bazelak to Parker accounts for the touchdown with 9:15 left in the third quarter. Bazelak is 23-of-33 passing for 201 yards and three TDs with one interception.
Kentucky 28, Missouri 28 - Missouri marches 80 yards in 14 plays to tie the game. There were two key third-down plays. Bazelak scrambled 12 yards on a third-and-10 at the UK 24. And the Tigers scored on a third-and-14 from the UK 17 when Badie took a screen pass and would not be denied, breaking tackles on his way to the end zone with 13:11 remaining in the game.
Kentucky 35, Missouri 28 - UK answers right back and in a hurry. Cats go 75 yards in just five plays. Rodriguez ripped off a 28-yard run. And Liam Coen made a great play call on a Levis-to-Justin Rigg screen pass for 28 more yards. Rodriguez scored from eight yards out with 11:28 left to put the home team back in front.
Date: Sept. 11, 2021.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
TV: SEC Network with Tyler Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang.
Radio: UK Network with Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro and Dick Gabriel.
Records: Kentucky 1-0; Missouri 1-0.
Last game: Kentucky defeated Louisiana Monroe 45-10; Missouri defeated Central Michigan 34-24.
Coaches: Kentucky-Mark Stoops (50-50); Missouri-Eli Drinkwitz (6-5 at Missouri/18-6 overall).
Series: Kentucky leads 7-4.
Last meeting: Missouri 20, Kentucky 10 in Columbia on Oct. 24, 2020.
Pregame links:
Can Cats overpower Missouri in SEC opener?
John Clay Podcast: Kentucky-Missouri football preview
Five things to know about the Missouri Tigers
One-click guide to Kentucky’s showdown with Missouri
UK vs. Missouri is bigger than one game
There will be some NFL-style scheming on Saturday night
‘If this thing happens will you come?’ UK assistant was a must hire for Liam Coen.
He’s played football at UK for five years. Now, you might finally get to know him.
‘Sad. Angry. Disappointed.’ UK’s Mark Stoops reflects on Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The stakes loom large for Saturday’s Kentucky-Missouri football matchup
