LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BBN TONIGHT) — The Governor's Cup stays in Lexington for another year! Kentucky Football finishes the regular season 7-5 after squeaking out a 38-31 win over the Louisville Cardinals in L&N Stadium Saturday afternoon. Senior running back Ray Davis set a new Kentucky Football record for most touchdowns scored in a single season with 20.
Senior defensive linebacker JJ Weaver was voted as the 2023 Governor's Cup MVP.
Kentucky started on the receiving end of the ball with a 19-yard return from sophomore Barion Brown to get to the Kentucky 20. Davis netted 14 yards in the first series of the Wildcats, but after five plays and 19 yards, the Cards sacked Leary. Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer made the most of the space he was given, rushing for 28 yards - the most for either side of the ball for the first quarter. After 14 plays and 70 yards, the Cardinals were first on the scoreboard, 7-0.
Kentucky finds its way to the endzone in the second quarter, in nine plays and 52 yards. During the series, freshman tight end Khamari Anderson hurdled over a Louisville defender during his first career reception for 11 yards in L&N Stadium. The play appeared to push the momentum of the Wildcats. The scoring play, however, was a 9-yard touchdown pass from Leary to sophomore Dane Key.
Kentucky's defense had a more active showing in the second quarter with big stops from sophomores Jordan Lovett and Deone Walker. The Cards did make it in field-goal range, knocking down a 46-yard feat.
Kentucky strayed from the run game. The Cards outpaced the Cats on the ground 65 to 16 at the half. Louisville's Plummer led all-on-the-ground attack with 34 yards. In the air, Leary went 7/12 for 81 yards, and Plummer went 10/14 for 87.
The Cardinals score to start off the third, but Brown did what he does best with a 100-yard kickoff return to pull the Cats back within three points. The Cards led 17-14 with 5:38 left in the third quarter. A few missed tackles, and Louisville stretched the lead to 10 with 2:48 left in the third. But for every move the Cardinals made, Kentucky fought back to answer.
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Davis showed off his wide receiver skills by catching a 20-yard touchdown to bring Kentucky back in three. On the defensive end, Weaver secured a Cards fumble just before the end of the third to keep the Wildcat energy going.
Kentucky got within field goal range for Alex Raynor to tie it up at 24 with 10:21 left in the game. The Cats knock the momentum out of the Cards literally and figuratively. Senior D'Eryk Jackson stripped Plummer and Weaver struck again to recover the fumble. Kentucky goes on to score with a 20-yard rush from Davis. The Cats took the lead for the first time 31-24 with 8:37 left in the game. Leary threw an interception that led to a Louisville touchdown with 2:33 left in play. Davis scored one more for the Cats to take the lead, 38-31 leaving the Cards 1:02 left to play. The Cats end the day with a Jordan Lovett pick in the Louisville end zone.
Defensively, Jackson and Trevin Wallace completed 11 and 10 tackles each, while Weaver finished with a total of eight tackles for the day. Davis finished on the ground with 83 yards and one rushing touchdown. Receiving Izayah Cummings collected 55 yards and one catch, Davis had 51 yards and four catches for two touchdowns, Key had two catches for 25 yards and one touchdown.
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