(H-L photo/Mark Cornelison)
Ten stats/notes from Kentucky’s 31-27 win over Louisville:
- Kentucky rushed for 168 yards, its second-best rushing total against Louisville since 1999. The best was UK’s 185 rushing yards in 2007.
- Rafael Little rushed for 151 of those 185 yards in 2007. He did so on 27 carries.
- Mike Hartline’s pass efficiency rating of 165.4 was the best against U of L by a UK quarterback since Andre Woodson posted a 173.9 in 2005 was 134.3. Hartline was 20 of 27 for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception. In 2005, Woodson was 17 of 27 for 278 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. (U of L’s Justin Burke posted a rating of 143.5.) Hartline’s passer rating in last year’s game was 91.5.
- Kentucky averaged 5.09 yards per rush. The Cats have now won 12 straight games in which they have averaged at least five yards per carry.
- This was just UK’s fourth win in its last 20 games where it did not run at least 62 plays.
- Biggest play of the game may have been that third-and-10 screen pass from Hartline to Randall Cobb, who turned it into a 27-yard gain. That kept the drive alive that led to UK’s 24-20 lead.
- Kentucky had the ball for 1:25 of the third quarter. That was the quarter the Cats turned it over three straight times.
- UK offensive coordinator Randy Sanders did break his wrist during that sideline fall on a kickoff in the fourth quarter.
- Louisville converted nine of 17 third downs. But the Cards converted five of their first six, then went 4-of-11.
- U of L’s Victor Anderson rushed for 110 yards on 19 carries. That’s the seventh time in 14 games that Anderson has rushed for at least 90 yards.
Great reporting today, John! Love the post-game videos. Love the stats. After I’ve thought about the game for a few hours, I have one positive thought: we beat our big rival with only 3 quarters of offense. That’s pretty cool. I didn’t get to watch the game because of not getting ESPN-U in northern KY. I’m curious if our turnovers were more sins on our part or just great D on their part or just freak turnovers. Do you know what I mean? If I saw the game, I’d be able to make a personal judgment on that. But if those were mostly our boneheaded unforced errors, I guess you could take a more negative spin and say that we beat them undeservedly because we gave them the 3rd quarter. BUT I PREFER THE POSITIVE. No matter what the predictions, nothing is a given with your in-state rival. WE WON! LET’S BE THANKFUL!!!!!