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Late Kentucky Comeback Dooms Dores 11/13/2004
Late Kentucky Comeback Dooms Dores LEXINGTON — A fourth-quarter comeback by the Kentucky Wildcats resulted in a 14-13 victory over the Commodores today. — Box Score — The Vanderbilt offense orchestrated a 374-yard performance, but it was not enough to keep them in the game. However, the Commodores started the game with something they had not been able to do for more than four quarters of football: force their opponent to punt. Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler, who left the Florida game last week in the first quarter with an injured ankle, came out throwing, connecting on four of his first five attempts for 55 yards. He connected with five different receivers for his first five completions. It was a game of multiple kicking mishaps for both teams. Kentucky missed two field-goal attempts, and the Commodores would later miss one field goal and an extra-point attempt that would prove to be costly. Cutler continued to pass his way into the Vanderbilt record book. With an 8-yard pass to running back Cassen Jackson-Garrison in the second quarter, Cutler moved into third place for total offense all-time at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt later launched an impressive seven-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with a one-yard rushing touchdown by freshman running back Jeff Jennings. Junior defensive end and pre-season candidate for the Hendricks Trophy Jovan Haye recorded his first sack of the season to end the first half with Vanderbilt leading 7-0. Haye would also bat down a third-down pass in the third quarter to force a punt. Vanderbilt racked up a season-high 265 yards in first-half total offense. It was also the first time the Dores held their opponent to zero points in the first half. Despite entering the game with only two victories, the Commodores have owned or shared the halftime lead in seven of 12 games. Kwane Doster started the second half with a 54-yard kickoff return. The drive culminated with Cutler’s 13-yard pass to Chris Young for a touchdown. It was Cutler’s 35th career touchdown pass, tying him for third all-time in career touchdown passes at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt’s defense took a tremendous blow when linebacker Moses Osemwegie — the team’s top tackler (second in the SEC) — left the game in the third quarter with a leg injury. Kentucky scored on its next possession with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Shane Boyd to Glenn Holt. Down by six points with fewer than six minutes to play in the game, Kentucky blocked a punt and returned it to the Vanderbilt 20-yard line. Cornerback Bill Alford came up huge with a blocked pass in the end zone on a Kentucky fourth and goal. Vanderbilt went three and out following the turnover on downs, and Kentucky started its drive on the Dores’ 36-yard line with 2:44 left in the game. The Wildcats took their first lead of the game with Boyd’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Holt. It was the first time Kentucky had the lead in a conference game since Sept. 25, against Florida. The Commodores took over at their own 24-yard line following the kickoff with 1:34 left on the clock. With 40 seconds to go and fourth and 25, Cutler’s hail mary pass was incomplete. They would get the ball back one more time with time for one play. Throwing under pressure from his own endzone, Cutler’s pass fell short near midfield. For the second week in a row, fans at Commonwealth Stadium refused to return to game officials the game ball kicked into the crowd for an extra point. Instead, they passed it around the stands for several minutes, threw it to spectators in the upper deck on the east side, and ultimately tossed it out of the stadium between sections 204 and 202. After fans jettisoned a second ball from the stadium, officials camped out in the stands behind the goalposts during kicks to thwart other such activity. There are no nets at C.M Newton Field to keep the ball from entering the spectator area. The Commodores close out their season next Saturday at Vanderbilt Stadium against the Tennessee Volunteers. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CT. |
