LEXINGTON, Ky. — For a little more than a quarter of football on Saturday, South Alabama looked every bit like a team capable of pulling off a statement win on the road. By the end of the afternoon at Kroger Field, though, Kentucky’s powerful running game had taken over, and the Jaguars headed home with a 45-21 loss and a list of lessons to carry into Sun Belt Conference play.
Kentucky ran for 390 yards and closed the game with 31 unanswered points. South Alabama (2-2) built a 21-14 lead behind a 21-point second quarter, but the Wildcats (3-1) scored 10 points in the final 1:22 of the first half and then shut out the Jaguars 21-0 after halftime.
Applewhite: ‘I wanted to win the ball game’
South Alabama coach Major Applewhite made it clear after the game that his team did not make the trip to Lexington simply to be competitive.
“Not trying to sound tough or anything like that, but we didn’t come to Lexington to play close and (give) a really good effort,” Applewhite said. “We did that last year against Auburn. I wanted to win the ball game.
“I just love the way the players were still aggressive and there’s some things that we learned. A good ball club is going to expose some things on your ball club and we’ll learn some things fundamentally, schematically that we need to be tightened up on going into conference play.”
Applewhite’s reference to Auburn was a reminder of how the program measures itself now. A close, spirited showing against a Southeastern Conference opponent once might have been considered a good day. The Jaguars’ head coach is making it plain that the expectation has changed.
How the Jaguars built a lead
Kentucky struck first, with running back CJ Baxter scoring on a 3-yard run to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
South Alabama’s response came quickly once the second quarter started. A Kentucky fumble on a punt gave the Jaguars a golden opportunity when Kam Robinson recovered the loose ball at the 15-yard line. PJ Martin finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
The Jaguars then went ahead when quarterback Jared Hollins found Anthony Eager for a 39-yard touchdown pass, making it 14-7.
Kentucky tied the game at 14 on a 7-yard touchdown run by Jovantae Barnes with 4:57 left before halftime, but South Alabama answered again. Hollins connected with Jeremiah Jones-Thomas on a 19-yard scoring pass, and the Jaguars led 21-14 with 1:22 remaining in the half.
That, as it turned out, was the high-water mark for South Alabama.
A 75-yard run and a costly interception
The momentum swung in a hurry. Kentucky’s Jason Patterson broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 21 with 1:12 left in the second quarter, starting a scoring run the Jaguars never stopped.
Moments later, a Hollins pass was tipped and intercepted by the Wildcats’ Grant Godfrey. Kentucky turned the takeaway into Adam Zouagui’s 34-yard field goal, and the home team took a 24-21 lead into the locker room.
Hollins pointed to that sequence as the turning point.
“We had a good first half,” Hollins said. “We cannot turn the ball over right before half; that’s one big thing. Give them three points, have momentum going into the halftime.
“We came out a little flat (in the second half) and they took advantage of it. So we’ve got to figure that out, get back to work and get back next week ready to rock.”
Kentucky’s ground game takes over
The Wildcats wasted no time in the third quarter. They took the opening possession of the second half 75 yards in just four plays, with Patterson scoring on a 15-yard run. Patterson later added a 2-yard touchdown run and finished the day with 137 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries.
He had plenty of company. Baxter ran for 149 yards on 16 carries, and Barnes added 100 yards on eight carries. It was the first time since 2020 that Kentucky had three 100-yard rushers in the same game.
Kentucky’s last touchdown came through the air, on a 15-yard pass from Kenny Minchey to Shane Carr with 10:45 remaining.
By the final whistle, the Wildcats had outgained South Alabama 567 yards to 345 and averaged 8.3 yards per play, a number that reflected just how often Kentucky’s ball carriers found room to run.
Missed chances in the second half
South Alabama had only two real opportunities to score after halftime. Davis Little’s 50-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter missed, and Hollins was intercepted at the goal line in the final two minutes.
The Jaguars also struggled to establish their own running game. South Alabama rushed for just 88 yards as a team, led by Martin’s 48 yards on 10 carries. That imbalance, 390 rushing yards for Kentucky against 88 for South Alabama, told much of the story.
Hollins and Jones-Thomas lead the passing game
Hollins made his second straight start in place of injured starter Bishop Davenport. The week before, he led the Jaguars to a 41-36 win over Ohio in his first start. Against Kentucky, he completed 23 of 43 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.
Jones-Thomas had the best game of his young career, catching six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Eager’s 39-yard touchdown catch was the longest scoring play of the day for the Jaguars.
By the numbers
- 45-21: Final score, Kentucky over South Alabama
- 31: Consecutive points Kentucky scored to finish the game
- 390: Kentucky rushing yards
- 567-345: Kentucky’s advantage in total yards
- 8.3: Kentucky’s average gain per play
- 3: Kentucky players who ran for 100 or more yards, the first time that has happened for the Wildcats since 2020
- 88: South Alabama rushing yards
- 23 of 43: Hollins’ passing, for 266 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions
- 6 for 91: Jones-Thomas’ receiving line, a career best
Scoring summary
- First quarter: Kentucky — CJ Baxter 3-yard run (Kentucky 7-0)
- Second quarter: South Alabama — PJ Martin 7-yard run, set up by Kam Robinson’s recovery of a muffed punt at the 15 (7-7)
- Second quarter: South Alabama — Jared Hollins 39-yard pass to Anthony Eager (South Alabama 14-7)
- Second quarter: Kentucky — Jovantae Barnes 7-yard run, 4:57 (14-14)
- Second quarter: South Alabama — Hollins 19-yard pass to Jeremiah Jones-Thomas, 1:22 (South Alabama 21-14)
- Second quarter: Kentucky — Jason Patterson 75-yard run, 1:12 (21-21)
- Second quarter: Kentucky — Adam Zouagui 34-yard field goal after Grant Godfrey interception (Kentucky 24-21)
- Third quarter: Kentucky — Patterson 15-yard run on the opening drive (Kentucky 31-21)
- Second half: Kentucky — Patterson 2-yard run
- Fourth quarter: Kentucky — Kenny Minchey 15-yard pass to Shane Carr, 10:45 (Final: Kentucky 45-21)
What South Alabama can take from Lexington
For all the frustration of the second half, there were positives for the Jaguars to build on. The offense produced three touchdowns in one quarter against an SEC defense on the road. The special teams unit forced a turnover that led directly to points. A young receiver had a breakout day, and a quarterback who was pressed into service because of an injury continued to gain experience.
The areas that need work were equally clear. The Jaguars could not slow Kentucky’s running game, and turnovers at critical moments, one just before halftime and another at the goal line late, took points off the board and handed momentum to the Wildcats. Applewhite’s comments about things that need to be “tightened up” fundamentally and schematically suggest the coaching staff will spend the week focused on run defense, ball security and consistency coming out of halftime.
Up next: Sun Belt play opens at home
The nonconference portion of the schedule is now complete, and the games that count toward a Sun Belt Conference title start next week. South Alabama opens league play at home on Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the university’s campus in Mobile.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed live online.
With the conference schedule ahead, the Jaguars will get a chance to show how much they learned from their afternoon in Lexington. As Hollins put it, the job now is to “get back to work and get back next week ready to rock.”