Kentucky football season ends with a crushing Governor’s Cup defeat

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX18) — Few rivalry games in college football carry the weight of the Governor’s Cup, and this year’s Kentucky–Louisville matchup delivered its usual tension, though the outcome was far from close.

The Wildcats entered Saturday needing one more win to secure bowl eligibility after a rocky start to the season, adding urgency to a game already fueled by in-state bragging rights. Pregame interactions grew heated as players from both sides exchanged words and shoves nearly 90 minutes before kickoff, setting the stage for a lopsided showdown.

This year’s meeting also added a new layer to the Battle of the Bluegrass lore: longtime Kentucky Football assistant Vince Marrow, who spent 12 seasons on Mark Stoops’ staff, now patrols the opposite sideline as Louisville’s executive director of football personnel.

FIRST HALF

Neither team scored on its opening drives, but Louisville grabbed early momentum after a blocked punt set up the first touchdown of the day. Following a third-down sack of Cutter Boley, Kentucky’s punt was blocked and returned 19 yards, giving Louisville a short field. The Cardinals finished the drive with a fourth-and-goal sneak from Miller Moss, taking a 7-0 lead with 4:44 left in the first quarter.

Kentucky moved the ball 41 yards on the next possession, but Jacob Kauwe’s 52-yard field goal try was short, keeping the Cats scoreless. Louisville added to its lead early in the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

The Cardinals continued to pressure Boley and the Kentucky offensive line, racking up five first-half sacks. Louisville extended the lead to 17-0 midway through the second with a Miller Moss 43-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Stewart on fourth-and-one.

Kentucky’s defense, which had trouble containing Louisville’s pace and efficiency throughout the half, held the Cardinals to a field goal in the final minutes. Louisville opted to let the clock run out instead of attempting a long field goal in the closing seconds, taking a 20-0 advantage into the locker room, and the ball to start the third quarter.

At halftime, Louisville led in every statistical category as Kentucky looked to regroup in the second half.

SECOND HALF

Kentucky’s early third-quarter mistakes set up another Cardinals touchdown. The Cats went for it on fourth-and-short, but an illegal shift pushed them back, and the fourth-down pass was dropped. Louisville took over at the UK 15, and two plays later Shaun Boykins Jr. scored to make it 27–0 with 8:23 left in the third.

Kentucky’s struggles continued on the next possession. The Cardinals’ pass rush delivered their sixth sack of the game, and on third-and-12, Cutter Boley’s deep throw was intercepted at the Louisville 1-yard line with 5:49 remaining in the quarter.

As the third quarter came to a close, Kentucky trailed 27–0 and had just 15 minutes left to try to extend its season. The Cardinals opened the fourth facing a third-and-4, while the Wildcats look for any spark to mount what would have to be an all-time comeback.

But Louisville kept its offense rolling. The Cardinals marched 99 yards over 17 plays to open the final quarter. Miller Moss capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dacari Collins, extending the lead to 34–0 with 10:22 remaining.

As if the day couldn’t get any worse for Kentucky, an interception by Cutter Boley led to a brief scuffle and two penalties, giving Louisville a short field. Miller Moss capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Skinner, pushing the lead to 41–0 with 5:23 remaining.

And that’s where the scoring ended. Everything that could go wrong for Kentucky did, as the Wildcats’ season closes with a 41–0 shutout, marking the largest loss to Louisville in school history.

For more on Kentucky Football and all of the Wildcats, join us on BBN Tonight, airing weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.

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