My column is on the front and @JHamilton23 has coverage coming throughout the night from Lexington. Here's some things I've got rattling around:
*There's a chance at the end of the year we look back and realize the play that changed the season was made by a backup punter and a freshman wide receiver. Luke Bauer wasn't even Missouri's starting punter six weeks ago. Now he might be the backup quarterback. Because that was a hell of a throw from the kid. Before the fake punt, Missouri was dead. When Bauer took the field I thought "Eli's really gonna punt from the 39 down 14-0? All right then." But the craziest thing was Kentucky wasn't even fooled. They were in punt safe. They knew a fake was coming. And Bauer and Marquis Johnson executed it anyway.
*The play changed everything. Suddenly, Brady Cook settled down. Suddenly the defense could tackle. The crowd factor was mitigated. Kentucky was on its heels. If that play doesn't happen, Mizzou might have gotten blown out. Instead, it outscored Kentucky 38-7 the rest of the way.
*Read that last sentence again. This wasn't just a win. This was an ass-kicking. Missouri dominated this game for the final 45 minutes. Coming in, I thought they were a better team than Kentucky. Coming out, I think they're a much better team than Kentucky.
*Cody Schrader is the closer. For much of the first three quarters every week we all sit around going "I know he's the best they have and it's a nice story and all, but is he really the best they have because they aren't really running the ball very well?" And then he busts a run that ices the game. He did it again with a 19 yard touchdown run. Prior to that run, Schrader had 14 carries for 27 yards. His last six went for 44 and a touchdown. Just keep going to him and eventually he's going to give you one really huge play.
*The following defensive players played their best game of the season: Darius Robinson, Jayden Jernigan, Johnny Walker, Kristian Williams, Marcus Clarke, Joseph Charleston, JC Carlies. The defensive line dominated. It was frustrating at first because they were getting in the backfield, they just weren't making tackles. But they kept getting there and eventually they started making the plays. And they absolutely hammered Devin Leary over and over. Four sacks, six TFLs, two interceptions, three forced fumbles (well, two, Leary did one of those all by himself).
*The best defensive player on the field, again, was Kris Abrams-Draine. I don't know why people keep throwing at him. He's made himself a ton of money. And I still think he had two interceptions.
*Most games have been the Luther Burden game on offense. This game was the Theo Wease game. He just kept getting open. He ended up with 6 for 58 and a touchdown, but honestly, it seemed like much more.
*I think it's important that Missouri showed it can win without two things: Luther Burden and big plays. The Tigers didn't throw deep much. Brady Cook only averaged six yards per attempt. Most of the passes were checkdowns and dropoffs. I'd assume that has a lot to do with the way Kentucky was playing defense. Before Saturday, I don't really think Missouri had shown an ability to just take what was there and go down the field five yards at a time. They showed it Saturday. That shouldn't go unnoticed. As far as Burden, he'll have big days again. But it's good to show you can still hang 38 points and win a game convincingly if the opponent comes into the night bound and determined to take him away (and give UK credit, they did).
*I now expect this team to win nine games. I think 10 is a distinct possibility. The goal is now a New Year's Six bowl. So that's pretty fun. As Eli Drinkwitz said after the game, why stop now?
*There's a chance at the end of the year we look back and realize the play that changed the season was made by a backup punter and a freshman wide receiver. Luke Bauer wasn't even Missouri's starting punter six weeks ago. Now he might be the backup quarterback. Because that was a hell of a throw from the kid. Before the fake punt, Missouri was dead. When Bauer took the field I thought "Eli's really gonna punt from the 39 down 14-0? All right then." But the craziest thing was Kentucky wasn't even fooled. They were in punt safe. They knew a fake was coming. And Bauer and Marquis Johnson executed it anyway.
*The play changed everything. Suddenly, Brady Cook settled down. Suddenly the defense could tackle. The crowd factor was mitigated. Kentucky was on its heels. If that play doesn't happen, Mizzou might have gotten blown out. Instead, it outscored Kentucky 38-7 the rest of the way.
*Read that last sentence again. This wasn't just a win. This was an ass-kicking. Missouri dominated this game for the final 45 minutes. Coming in, I thought they were a better team than Kentucky. Coming out, I think they're a much better team than Kentucky.
*Cody Schrader is the closer. For much of the first three quarters every week we all sit around going "I know he's the best they have and it's a nice story and all, but is he really the best they have because they aren't really running the ball very well?" And then he busts a run that ices the game. He did it again with a 19 yard touchdown run. Prior to that run, Schrader had 14 carries for 27 yards. His last six went for 44 and a touchdown. Just keep going to him and eventually he's going to give you one really huge play.
*The following defensive players played their best game of the season: Darius Robinson, Jayden Jernigan, Johnny Walker, Kristian Williams, Marcus Clarke, Joseph Charleston, JC Carlies. The defensive line dominated. It was frustrating at first because they were getting in the backfield, they just weren't making tackles. But they kept getting there and eventually they started making the plays. And they absolutely hammered Devin Leary over and over. Four sacks, six TFLs, two interceptions, three forced fumbles (well, two, Leary did one of those all by himself).
*The best defensive player on the field, again, was Kris Abrams-Draine. I don't know why people keep throwing at him. He's made himself a ton of money. And I still think he had two interceptions.
*Most games have been the Luther Burden game on offense. This game was the Theo Wease game. He just kept getting open. He ended up with 6 for 58 and a touchdown, but honestly, it seemed like much more.
*I think it's important that Missouri showed it can win without two things: Luther Burden and big plays. The Tigers didn't throw deep much. Brady Cook only averaged six yards per attempt. Most of the passes were checkdowns and dropoffs. I'd assume that has a lot to do with the way Kentucky was playing defense. Before Saturday, I don't really think Missouri had shown an ability to just take what was there and go down the field five yards at a time. They showed it Saturday. That shouldn't go unnoticed. As far as Burden, he'll have big days again. But it's good to show you can still hang 38 points and win a game convincingly if the opponent comes into the night bound and determined to take him away (and give UK credit, they did).
*I now expect this team to win nine games. I think 10 is a distinct possibility. The goal is now a New Year's Six bowl. So that's pretty fun. As Eli Drinkwitz said after the game, why stop now?
