In a game of defenses, Kentucky’s offense arrived late to pull the Citrus Bowl out of the fire 20-17. For most of the game, the Wildcats and Hawkeyes played according to form, slugging it out in the trenches. Aided by a 52 yard catch and run from Wan’Dale Robinson, Mark Stoops outlasted his alma mater for a hard-fought Citrus Bowl win on Saturday in Orlando.

After Robinson’s big play, running back Chris Rodriguez on a 6-yard run with 1:48 remaining for UK’s winning score. Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and had a receiving TD as well.

Kentucky (10-3) opened the game strong, deferring the coin toss to open the game, stopping the Hawkeyes after a single first down, then going 80 yards in 13 plays to open the scoring on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Will Levis to Rodriguez. On a day when touchdowns were scarce, Kentucky converted a pair of 3rd downs before reaching the end zone, taking a 7-0 lead with 5:32 left in the opening quarter.

After an exchange of punts, Iowa (10-4) opened the 2nd quarter with a successful drive, moving 55 yards in 10 plays before settling for a 28-yard Caleb Shudak field goal to pull within 7-3 with 11:03 left in the first half. On the following drive, Kentucky reached the Iowa 2 before settling for their own short field goal, a 21-yard connection by Matt Ruffolo to put UK up 10-3 with 2:48 to play until halftime. The key play of the drive was a 34-yard connection from Levis to Robinson after a pair of sacks had stuck UK in a 3rd-and-26 hole.

Kentucky added another field goal before the half, when a tipped pass by Iowa QB Spencer Petras was intercepted by Kentucky LB D’Eryk Jackson. The Wildcats drove to the Iowa 6 before adding another short field goal, this one a 27-yard kick from Ruffolo that gave UK a 13-3 edge that they took into the halftime locker room.

Iowa stopped Kentucky’s opening drive of the third quarter and moved the ball down to the UK 11, before a botched QB/center exchange on 4th down left the score unchanged. But a 3 and out by an increasingly aggressive Iowa defense left the Hawkeyes with a short field that they turned into a 50-yard, 6-play scoring drive with the last 20 yards covered on a reverse by receiver Arlan Bruce IV. Bruce’s score cut Kentucky’s edge to 13-10 with 3:21 left in the third quarter.

Momentum was firmly in Iowa’s corner and the Hawkeyes capitalized. After stalling a Kentucky drive near midfield, the Hawkeyes drove 92 yards in 9 plays to take the lead for the first time in the game. Petras completed a screen pass to tight end Sam LaPorta for the 36-yard go-ahead score with 10:54 left in the game. Iowa led 17-13 and its defense made Levis’ day miserable throughout with 5 QB sacks.

Kentucky drove to the Iowa 35, but on 4th and 1, Kentucky running back JuTahn McClain was stopped shy of the 1st down, turning the ball over to the Hawkeyes with 7:13 to play. Kentucky got a 3-and-out stop to gain another critical possession, but a 4th down pass from Levis was intercepted by Jermari Harris at the Iowa 36-yard line with 3:59 to play.

Both ground games had solid moments, with Kentucky’s Rodriguez topping 100 rushing yards. Iowa got a solid performance from freshman Gavin Williams, who also approached 100 yards with Tyler Goodson opting out of the game.

Both passing games had moments of solid play, with Iowa tight end LaPorta and Kentucky receiver Robinson each delivering big plays for their respective teams. Robinson managed his 100th catch of the season, a new season high for Kentucky. Kentucky managed 2 interceptions of Petras, one on a Hail Mary to end the first half. Meanwhile, Iowa harassed Levis and rarely left Kentucky much time for downfield passing.