Kentucky spent Saturday afternoon on a rainy Kroger Field playing defense, running and, most of all, gaining bowl eligibility for the team’s fourth consecutive season. With a 50-7 win over FCS opponent UT-Martin, Kentucky clinched a bowl appearance a week ahead of the team’s annual in-state showdown with the Louisville Cardinals. Here are the high and low points of Kentucky’s sixth win of 2019.

What I liked

The defense

Kentucky didn’t surrender a point until early in the fourth quarter, and it took control of the game from the outset. UT-Martin had just 3 first downs and 10 total yards at halftime. The Wildcats defense grabbed an interception, recovered 2 UT-M fumbles and sacked UT-Martin quarterbacks 6 times. Senior defensive end Calvin Taylor was especially dominant, chipping in with 1 1/2 sacks, continuing a season that has kept him among the SEC’s sack leaders.

The record-breaking ground game

Since Lynn Bowden became Kentucky’s quarterback in Week 6, the Wildcats have leaned almost completely on a grinding ground game, and this week was no exception. In fact, Kentucky set a single-game rushing record with 462 yards, besting a Bear Bryant team from back in 1946. Two Wildcats eclipsed 100 yards rushing, Bowden and junior running back A.J. Rose. Reserve backs Kavosiey Smoke, Chris Rodriguez, Travis Tisdale and Tyler Markray all contributed to a punishing offensive effort. While the ballcarriers rack up rushing totals (Bowden has nearly surpassed 1,000 yards in half a season), the forgotten factor is the Wildcats offensive line, which has been dominant in run blocking.

A.J. Rose had 105 yards on just six carries in a record-setting game for Kentucky. Photo by: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The legend of Max Duffy

Kentucky’s SEC-leading punter continued his superb season, averaging 57.7 yards on 3 punts. In a rarity, UT-M return man Terry Williams actually broke a couple of tackles and made a successful return of one of Duffy’s punts … until the punter himself squared Williams up and slammed him to the turf. What hasn’t Duffy done this season?

Keeping momentum

Throughout Kentucky football’s history, most of the team’s successes have been followed by blinding failures. Yes, the 2019 season was an eyelash from including wins over Florida and/or Tennessee. But even without either, Kentucky kept the positive momentum rolling with another bowl campaign, an extra month of practice to come and momentum on the recruiting trail.

What I didn’t like

The passing game

It’s a common story this season, but Kentucky’s passing game was completely inefficient. A week after passing the ball very efficiently against Vandy, Bowden seemed to try to connect on deep balls on virtually every attempt. Backup Sawyer Smith was similarly inclined to be greedy, which contributed to the Wildcats finishing 2-for-11 passing for 17 yards for the game.

The kicking woes

Freshman kicker Chance Poore missed an extra point, the fourth miss for UK this season. Walk-on Matt Ruffolo, who himself missed two extra points earlier this year, replaced Poore and finished the game. Kentucky’s unbalanced offense has not been helped by a lack of consistent kicking.

Special teams sleepiness

Kentucky’s special teams had several other lapses in this game, losing an onside kick by UT-Martin to open the second half, fumbling a punt return and allowing a 42-yard punt return. Kentucky will need to tighten up those kinds of errors in the next two games.