What. A. Football game.
For much of the first half Saturday afternoon, it looked like Kentucky's trip to Columbia was turning into a disaster. South Carolina scored the game's first 17 points, Williams-Brice Stadium was rocking, and the Wildcats could barely get anything going offensively.
Then everything changed.
No. 24 Kentucky fought all the way back, took its first lead late in the third quarter, survived another South Carolina rally, forced overtime and then made the boldest call of the afternoon.
After Kenny Minchey found Henry Boyer for a six-yard touchdown in overtime to pull Kentucky within one point, head coach Will Stein didn't hesitate.
Instead of kicking the extra point and extending the game, Stein kept the offense on the field and went for the win.
Minchey dropped back and found Willie Rodriguez in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
South Carolina controlled nearly everything early.
The Gamecocks scored touchdowns on runs by Matt Fuller and Jabree Coleman to take a 14-0 first-quarter lead, then added a field goal early in the second quarter to make it 17-0.
Kentucky desperately needed something to change the momentum, and the defense provided it.
Jordan Castell forced a South Carolina fumble that Jaden Williams recovered at the Gamecocks' 33-yard line. The Kentucky offense finally took advantage, with C.J. Baxter punching it in from three yards out to make it 17-7.
Adam Zouagui followed with a 42-yard field goal before halftime. South Carolina answered with a 48-yarder of its own on the final play of the half, but Kentucky had at least given itself life.
The Cats went to the locker room trailing 20-10.
Considering how the afternoon had started, being down only 10 felt almost like a victory of its own.
Whatever was said at halftime worked.
Kentucky opened the third quarter with its best offensive possession of the game. Minchey completed all four of his passes on the drive for 63 yards, finishing it with a 17-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kenny Darby.
Suddenly, a game that had been 17-0 was 20-17.
The defense followed with another stop, and later in the quarter Kentucky stuffed South Carolina on fourth-and-two near midfield.
That set up one of Minchey's biggest sequences of the afternoon.
Facing fourth down, Minchey connected with Nic Anderson for 11 yards to keep the drive alive. On the very next snap, he went right back to Anderson for a 32-yard touchdown.
Kentucky had its first lead.
South Carolina wasn't finished.
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers ripped off a 74-yard run to put the Gamecocks deep in Kentucky territory. A few plays later, Sellers found D.J. Black for a 15-yard touchdown to put South Carolina back in front 27-24.
The Gamecocks then had a chance to extend the lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Instead, Kentucky's defense came up huge again.
On fourth-and-two at the Kentucky 22, Sellers fumbled and Grant Godfrey recovered, giving the Wildcats another opportunity.
Minchey responded by directing Kentucky down the field, and Zouagui drilled a 29-yard field goal with just over four minutes remaining to tie it at 27.
Neither team scored again in regulation.
Overtime.
South Carolina had the first possession and scored on a five-yard Sellers touchdown pass to Maurice Brown. The extra point made it 34-27.
Kentucky now needed a touchdown simply to stay alive.
Minchey completed a 10-yard pass to Baxter on the first play of the possession. Kentucky worked its way to the six-yard line, where Minchey found Henry Boyer for the touchdown.
34-33.
Most teams kick the extra point.
Will Stein wanted the win.
Kentucky lined up for two. Minchey took the snap, scanned the end zone and connected with Rodriguez.
This was the kind of performance Kentucky needed from its quarterback.
Minchey completed 28 of 41 passes for 272 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He made throws on fourth down, moved the chains with his legs and was at his best when the game was on the line.
Most importantly, he never appeared shaken by the 17-point deficit.
Freshman Kenny Darby continued his emergence with a huge afternoon, catching 12 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Nic Anderson added five catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, while Willie Rodriguez caught five passes for 57 yards before making the biggest catch of all on the winning two-point conversion.
Baxter led Kentucky's rushing attack with 48 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
| Stat | Kentucky | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 35 | 34 |
| Total Yards | 394 | 458 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 4-38 | 7-60 |
| Time of Possession | 33:29 | 26:31 |
South Carolina actually outgained Kentucky 458-394, and Sellers was a major problem all afternoon. The Gamecocks quarterback threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 147 yards.
But the most important stat on the page may have been turnovers.
Kentucky did not turn the ball over once.
South Carolina lost two fumbles, and both Kentucky takeaways came at critical moments.
Kentucky's rally from a 17-point deficit was the largest road comeback in program history.
And it wasn't simply the size of the comeback that made this one special.
Kentucky had every reason to fold.
The Cats were down 17-0 in a hostile SEC stadium. South Carolina's quarterback was making big plays. The Gamecocks regained the lead after Kentucky had finally fought all the way back. South Carolina scored first in overtime.
Every time Kentucky appeared to be in serious trouble, the Wildcats answered.
That's the kind of victory that can change the way a team sees itself.
There may not have been a more fitting way for Kentucky to win.
With a chance to kick an extra point and continue overtime, Stein trusted his offense and went for the win immediately.
It was aggressive.
It was risky.
And it worked.
Moments like that help define a new era. Stein put the game in Minchey's hands, Minchey delivered, and Kentucky walked out of one of the SEC's loudest road environments with a victory.
The Wildcats improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.
Kentucky also now owns another SEC road victory and has a comeback win that this team — and Big Blue Nation — won't forget anytime soon.
There are certainly things to clean up. The Wildcats allowed too many explosive plays, struggled badly on offense early and surrendered 458 total yards.
But good teams find ways to win games when everything isn't going perfectly.
Kentucky found a way.
From 17 points down.
On the road.
In overtime.
By going for two.
Up next: Kentucky returns home to Kroger Field to face LSU.
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