@MizzouFootball Falls Short vs. No. 12 Kentucky

Saturday, October 27

Columbia, Mo.

3 p.m.

University of Missouri

4-4 , 0-4

#12 Kentucky

7-1 , 5-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Kentucky

Missouri

10/27/2018 7:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Kentucky (PDF)Postgame Quotes

Wildcats win on final play

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football suffered a heartbreaking 15-14 loss to No. 12 Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. The Wildcats converted a two-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the game to come back from a 14-3 fourth quarter deficit.

Mizzou held the Kentucky rushing attack to only 91 yards on the day and allowed only one offensive touchdown to the Wildcats but could not keep them out of the end zone on the final untimed play of the contest.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou opened a 7-3 lead with a second-quarter touchdown from junior RB Damarea Crockett with 14:01 remaining in the quarter. It stayed that way until midway through the quarter when Mizzou's defense came up with a huge play. After Kentucky took over at its own 17, it drove out to midfield but faced a fourth-and-one close to midfield. Junior LB Cale Garrett and sophomore S Tyree Gillespie combined to make a huge stop of UK running back Benny Snell to stall the Kentucky drive with 4:04 remaining in the half.

Mizzou then took the ball on the ensuing drive and ate up 3:15 of clock time while marching 51 yards on 10 plays to take the lead. Sophomore RB Larry Rountree III scored from one yard out on third down, reaching the ball past the goal line, securing his team-leading eighth rushing TD of the year. That gave the Tigers a 14-3 lead heading into the half.

A defensive stalemate broke out from there as each team was held off the scoreboard until Kentucky threatened midway through the fourth quarter. The Wildcats marched all the way down inside the Mizzou five, but Mizzou's defense bowed up and kept the Wildcats out of the endzone, setting up a fourth-and-two from the three. Garrett and sophomore DE Chris Turner blew up the play and held the Wildcats off the board. Unfortunately, Kentucky fielded a booming senior P Corey Fatony punt and returned it 67 yards for a score to cut the lead to 14-9.

Kentucky got a defensive stop and drove the length of the field in the final minutes. After a pass interference call was whistled on Mizzou, the Wildcats scored on an untimed final play to snatch the victory.

TOP TIGERS

Junior LB Cale Garrett tallied a team-high 14 tackles Saturday, marking his third straight game with 10+ tackles, the longest such streak of his career. It is the longest such streak for a Mizzou player since Kentrell Brothers in 2015 when he led the nation in tackles.
WR Johnathon Johnson had four catches for a team-high 71 yards.
Junior RB Damarea Crockett had 46 yards rushing to go over the 2,000 yards mark for his career. Crockett, who ended the game with 2,006 career yards on the ground, became the 17th Tiger to reach the mark.

NOTES

Mizzou's 14 first-half points were the most Kentucky has surrendered in an opening half in SEC play this season, and the most since Georgia scored 21 on Nov. 18, 2017.
Mizzou secured its fifth game this season with multiple rushing touchdowns. The Tigers tallied multiple rushing TDs in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Mizzou held Kentucky scoreless for nine consecutive offensive drives after the Wildcats made a field goal on their opening drive with 11:12 remaining the first quarter.
Junior CB DeMarkus Acy recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter. Acy's pick extended Mizzou's turnover streak. The Tigers have now forced a turnover in 15 consecutive regular season games. Mizzou has forced a turnover in every game this season, hauling in five interceptions and forcing four fumbles.

UP NEXT

Mizzou Football returns to the road to face No. 9 Florida in Gainesville next Saturday. For all the latest on Mizzou Football, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on social media (Mizzou Football on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook).