No. 24 Kentucky football secured a historic 35-34 overtime victory over South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium, overcoming a 17-0 first-quarter deficit to snap a four-game South Carolina winning streak. The conference showdown delivered the largest road comeback victory in school history, vaulting the Wildcats to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
The matchup began disastrously for the Wildcats, who surrendered two touchdowns in the opening 15 minutes and were outgained 156-18 in total offensive yardage while allowing two monstrous sacks. However, Kentucky head coach Will Stein’s squad sparked a 24-3 run to claw back into the contest before regulation expired.
Turning the Tide After a Rough Start
Kentucky found its footing in the second quarter when the defense forced a fumble recovered by Jaden Williams. Kenny Minchey got 15-yards himself on the ground, setting up CJ Baxter to power it into the end zone for the score. Kicker Adam Zouagui added a 42-yard field goal just before halftime to shrink the deficit to four points, though South Carolina answered immediately with a 47-yard field goal as the clock expired.
Momentum swung firmly to Kentucky in the second half. Minchey connected with Kenny Darby for a 17-yard touchdown pass. Following a quick defensive stop and a turnover on downs, Minchey targeted Nic Anderson for a 32-yard touchdown bomb following a successful fourth-down conversion.
He’s a heck of a player,
Stein said of Darby postgame, noting that the wideout capitalized once he caught a rhythm in the slot-heavy matchup.
South Carolina retaliated when LaNorris Sellers broke loose for a 74-yard run, setting up a touchdown pass to DJ Black that halted Kentucky’s scoring run. Grant Godfrey later recovered a crucial fumble for the defense, leading to a 29-yard field goal by Zouagui that knotted the score and forced overtime.
Overtime Heroics and Final Stats
In the extra period, South Carolina started on offense and marched down the field for a touchdown pass from Sellers to Maurice Brown II. Kentucky responded when Minchey found Henry Boyer for a touchdown. Rather than playing for a second overtime, Kentucky opted to go for a two-point conversion. Minchey connected with tight end Willie Rodriguez, sealing the 35-34 win.
He’s elite,
Stein said of Minchey’s composure during the chaotic overtime sequence. I mean, he’s so calm in the chaos and (I’m) very proud of him. This was a giant growth moment for him, being down the way we were, battling back. No panic, no nothing. He was excellent tonight.
Sellers finished the night rushing for 147 yards and throwing for 226 yards with two touchdowns. Minchey tallied 272 passing yards, 12 rushing yards, and two passing scores. The physical contest took a toll on Kentucky’s roster, with Antwan Smith exiting early, Jaden Smith leaving late with a knee injury, and Jason Patterson and Kalen Edwards also hobbled during the game.
Kentucky returns home to host No. 11 LSU at Kroger Field on Saturday, Oct. 10, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
