Connor O’Gara, Saturday Down South: “Luther Burden III can be contained and Mizzou can still find a way. By ‘find a way,’ I mean that Mizzou can find a way to dominate. Well, that was the case after the fake punt that went for a touchdown and totally took the soul out of Kroger Field. That’s all Mizzou needed to win its first game in Lexington since 2013. Never mind the fact that the nation’s leading receiver, Burden, was held to 2 catches for 15 yards and he briefly left the game. Nope. Didn’t matter. It didn’t even matter that Brady Cook was held in check with 5.6 yards per attempt. Instead, Mizzou stymied the UK passing attack while UK proceeded to shoot itself in the foot with drops, turnovers and penalties. It was arguably the most impressive road win of the Eli Drinkwitz era. That was his first SEC road win against someone other than Vanderbilt or South Carolina. The fact that it clinched bowl eligibility to match his win total from each of the past 2 seasons had to be even sweeter on the heels of that draining LSU loss. The Tigers kept their division title hopes alive in convincing fashion.”
Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com: “Two-time defending national champion Georgia didn't look great in a 37-20 win at Vanderbilt. Worse, the Bulldogs lost star tight end Brock Boers to a left ankle injury. Coach Kirby Smart said X-rays were negative and he wouldn't know more until Bowers has an MRI. The good news: Georgia has an open date before playing rival Florida on Oct. 28.
Michelle Haas Hutchins - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Two weeks ago Kentucky absorbed a 51-13 thrashing at Georgia and came completely unglued, earning penalty after penalty in the face of lopsided defeat.
On Saturday the Wildcats collapsed in their own stadium after Missouri stunned them with its epic fake punt play. Kentucky's 38-21 loss left an ugly mark.
So Kentucky coach Mark Stoops had some explaining to do after the game. While Missouri showed great heart while rebounding from its loss to LSU, the Wildcats have demonstrated poor team character during the past two games.
“The discipline, the lack of discipline is really something that’s standing out and bothering me,” Stoops admitted after the game. “We have not been perfect over the years by any stretch, but we’ve had more discipline than we had right now and that is something that is inexcusable.
We have to take care of the football and we have to eliminate penalties and then, obviously, get to work and get better in certain areas.”
“I don’t want to point the fingers at the team and the lack of that,” Stoops said. “I have to own that myself. And we will. Like I said, through the years we have been far from perfect. But we have been unselfish and played for each other. And that’s the message and we will get that across. I think frustration is a big piece of some of this tonight. Guys are frustrated and, you know, I think we all are frustrated but we have to handle the situation better than that.”
So that means he must hold players accountable, which will be easier to do with Kentucky getting extra practice time during its bye week.
“I did talk to the players about that,” Stoops said. “I was like, listen, it starts with me. I’m the head coach and we’ve got to get the discipline under control. But, those players have to help, too, yes. They have to hold each other accountable as well. It is their football team.”
Since Kentucky is just 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference this season after finishing just 7-6 overall last season, Stoops can sense the booster unrest. Fans of the Wildcats have come to expect more from their formerly downtrodden program.
“With the fans, I mean, what do you want me to say? It is frustrating and I understand that,” Stoops said. “And, listen, I’ve been here 11 years and I’ve taken the good with the bad. And, you know, either way I will hold my head up high, try to coach the team, work my butt off to get them right.”
Consider his seat officially warm. The Wildcats will have a chance to calm their fan base on Oct. 28 when they host Tennessee, currently ranked No. 17.
An upset in that game would go a long away. Also, winnable games against Mississippi State and South Carolina remain, along with tough challenges (big opportunities?) against Alabama and Louisville.
Will the Wildcats pull themselves together? Or will Stoops find himself at a crisis point with his program?
Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com: “Two-time defending national champion Georgia didn't look great in a 37-20 win at Vanderbilt. Worse, the Bulldogs lost star tight end Brock Boers to a left ankle injury. Coach Kirby Smart said X-rays were negative and he wouldn't know more until Bowers has an MRI. The good news: Georgia has an open date before playing rival Florida on Oct. 28.
Michelle Haas Hutchins - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Two weeks ago Kentucky absorbed a 51-13 thrashing at Georgia and came completely unglued, earning penalty after penalty in the face of lopsided defeat.
On Saturday the Wildcats collapsed in their own stadium after Missouri stunned them with its epic fake punt play. Kentucky's 38-21 loss left an ugly mark.
So Kentucky coach Mark Stoops had some explaining to do after the game. While Missouri showed great heart while rebounding from its loss to LSU, the Wildcats have demonstrated poor team character during the past two games.
“The discipline, the lack of discipline is really something that’s standing out and bothering me,” Stoops admitted after the game. “We have not been perfect over the years by any stretch, but we’ve had more discipline than we had right now and that is something that is inexcusable.
We have to take care of the football and we have to eliminate penalties and then, obviously, get to work and get better in certain areas.”
“I don’t want to point the fingers at the team and the lack of that,” Stoops said. “I have to own that myself. And we will. Like I said, through the years we have been far from perfect. But we have been unselfish and played for each other. And that’s the message and we will get that across. I think frustration is a big piece of some of this tonight. Guys are frustrated and, you know, I think we all are frustrated but we have to handle the situation better than that.”
So that means he must hold players accountable, which will be easier to do with Kentucky getting extra practice time during its bye week.
“I did talk to the players about that,” Stoops said. “I was like, listen, it starts with me. I’m the head coach and we’ve got to get the discipline under control. But, those players have to help, too, yes. They have to hold each other accountable as well. It is their football team.”
Since Kentucky is just 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference this season after finishing just 7-6 overall last season, Stoops can sense the booster unrest. Fans of the Wildcats have come to expect more from their formerly downtrodden program.
“With the fans, I mean, what do you want me to say? It is frustrating and I understand that,” Stoops said. “And, listen, I’ve been here 11 years and I’ve taken the good with the bad. And, you know, either way I will hold my head up high, try to coach the team, work my butt off to get them right.”
Consider his seat officially warm. The Wildcats will have a chance to calm their fan base on Oct. 28 when they host Tennessee, currently ranked No. 17.
An upset in that game would go a long away. Also, winnable games against Mississippi State and South Carolina remain, along with tough challenges (big opportunities?) against Alabama and Louisville.
Will the Wildcats pull themselves together? Or will Stoops find himself at a crisis point with his program?
