The Missouri Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats went down to the wire in a hard-fought SEC East matchup Saturday.

The two were all tied up 27-27 heading into the fourth quarter and were tied again at 34-34 with 13:46 remaining in the contest. In a game that was all offense, Kentucky used two field goals to build a 40-34 lead with 1:48 left in the game.

A total of five touchdowns of 50 or more yards were scored in the contest. Neither defense seemed comfortable throughout the night as the teams exchanged scores late into the contest.

In the end, Kentucky took control of the game late thanks to the play of QB Stephen Johnson and a blocked Missouri field goal. Johnson was the big star for Kentucky with 342 yards of total offense.

What I liked

  • Missouri QB Drew Lock put his arm on full display against the Wildcats. Lock completed 22 of 42 passes for 355 yards and 3 TDs in an impressive performance. Lock’s touchdowns went for 50, 58, and 75 yards.
  • Kentucky RB Benny Snell continues to be the real deal. Snell had 20 carries for 117 yards and 2 TDs for the Wildcats.
  • Kentucky QB Stephen Johnson came up big again for the Wildcats. Johnson finished the game 22 of 36 for 298 yards and 2 TDs while adding 44 yards rushing.
  • Missouri’s two-man rushing attack of Ish Witter and Damarea Crockett was effective for the Tigers all night. The duo combined for 29 carries and 213 yards on the ground. Their play helped Missouri move the ball and stay in the game all night long.
  • Kentucky K Austin MacGinnis set the school record for career points. MacGinnis has had a remarkable and consistent career for the Wildcats. He also added a booming 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

What I didn’t like

  • Missouri’s miscues. The Tigers had two turnovers, a missed field goal, and a blocked field goal. Kentucky scored 20 points off of those Tigers mistakes, and that certainly can be pointed to as a difference maker in Saturday’s close game.
  • Kentucky’s number of touches for Lynn Bowden. The freshman WR looks to be a legitimate weapon for the Wildcats on the offensive side of the ball. Still, Bowden had just three catches for 49 yards while working with the offense. He did have three kick returns for 79 years, but the Wildcats could benefit from utilizing him more in the offense.
  • Lack of defense for both teams. The two teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense and 74 points in a wide-open game.

Missouri will head to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs next weekend. Kentucky will be off next weekend before traveling to play at Mississippi State on Oct. 21.