College football final: Kentucky 28, Chattanooga 23
The Kentucky Wildcats play host to the Chattanooga Moccasins for a noon kickoff at Kroger Field. Check here for score, updates and a dedicated Twitter feed.
Post-game links
Veteran Kentucky defense still figuring things out
Kentucky football falls short of its standard in win over Chattanooga
UK faces first road test at South Carolina
Five things you need to know from UK’s win over Chattanooga
Kentucky 3-0 for first time since 2018
Three takeaways from a closer than expected UK victory
Liam Coen learns a lesson about the realities of coaching at Kentucky
Scoring summary and notes
Final: Kentucky 28, Chattanooga 23
Note: Tyrell Ajian’s 95-yard interception return for a touchdown is the third-longest in school history.
Note: With 10:18 left, UK’s Will Levis has thrown for two touchdowns while also being intercepted twice. Isaiah Epps made his first career TD catch on the first. Izayah Cummings made his first career TD catch on the second.
Note: With 13:26 left in the game, Chattanooga has 146 yards rushing on just 19 attempts, a 7.7 average.
Note: Levis throws his second interception of the game. Rashaun Freeman picks off the UK quarterback with 1:03 left in the third quarter.
Note: Kentucky’s Chris Rodriguez, No. 2 in the nation entering Saturday’s game, carried six times for just 19 yards in the first half.
Note: Through 10 quarters, UK is -6 in turnover margin with seven giveaways and just one takeaway.
Note: UK went for it on a 4th-and-5 at the UTC 30 in the second quarter, but Levis is sacked and fumbles. Mocs recover at own 38.
Note: Will Levis throws his third interception of the season, giving Chattanooga the ball at the UK 15 with 10:23 left in the first half. The Cats hold the visitors to a field goal.
First quarter
Kentucky 7, Chattanooga 0 - The Wildcats waste no time, going 70 yards in nine plays on their first possession. A Will Levis 8-yard completion to Josh Ali on a 3rd-and-5 was a key play. And Ali scored the TD, going 11 yards on a jet sweep left for his first career rushing score. UK up with 10:43 left in the first quarter.
Kentucky 7, Chattanooga 7 - The visitors answer right back. A busted assignment by the UK defense opens the door for a 48-yard run by Ailym Ford to the Cats’ 18. Two players later, Kentucky cornerback Carrington Valentine is out of position, allowing Reginald Henderson to score on a 12-yard pass from Caleb Copeland with 6:56 left in the first quarter. The Mocs moved 75 yards in just six plays.
Second quarter
Kentucky 14, Chattanooga 7 - After missing on a couple of deep balls, Levis finds Wan’Dale Robinson for a 39-yard gain to the UTC 20. The very next play, the Kentucky quarterback executes a beautiful shoulder fake and hits a wide open Isaiah Epps for a 20-yard score with 13:29 left in the first half. Levis is 10-of-14 passing for 129 yards a touchdown.
Kentucky 14, Chattanooga 10 - Chattanooga’s CaMiron Smith picks off a Levis pass, giving the visitors the ball at the UK 15-yard line. The Wildcats’ defense holds. Aaron Sears kicks a 27-yard field goal for UTC, cutting Kentucky’s lead to four points with 8:47 left in the first half. Levis now has thrown three interceptions on the season.
Third quarter
Kentucky 14, Chattanooga 13 - The visitors take the second half kickoff and march down the field to set up a 43-yard field goal by Sears to cut UK’s lead to a single point with 10:43 left in the third quarter. A defensive holding penalty and an illegal substitution penalty on Kentucky helped the UTC drive along.
Fourth quarter
Chattanooga 16, Kentucky 14 - A 33-yard run Tyrell Price set up a 30-yard Sears field goal to give UTC its first lead of the day. There’s 13:26 left at Kroger Field. Chattanooga is averaging 7.7 yards per rushing attempt.
Kentucky 21, Chattanooga 16 - After Chattanooga goes in front, UK comes right back with a 77-yard drive in seven plays to go back in front. Levis scrambled 21 yards on a 3rd-and-2 early in the possession. Later, he found Izayah Cummings open in the right corner of the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 10:18 remaining.
Kentucky 28, Chattanooga 16 - The Moccasins were driving when UK safety Tyrell Ajian intercepted a Cole Copeland pass and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown with 7:40 left. It’s just Kentucky’s second interception of the season.
Kentucky 28, Chattanooga 23 - Undettered, the Mocs march 75 yards in 14 plays with Copeland scoring on a two-yard run to make it a one-score game with 1:20 remaining. Copeland was 6-of-6 passing on the drive.
Pre-game
Date: Sept. 18, 2021.
Kickoff: 12 p.m.
TV: No TV, but game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus and ESPN Plus with Matt Morgan, Ben Hartsock and Paul Carcaterra.
Radio: UK Network with Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro and Dick Gabriel.
Records: Kentucky 2-0; Chattanooga 1-1.
Last game: Kentucky defeated Missouri 35-28; Chattanooga defeated North Alabama 20-0.
Coaches: Kentucky-Mark Stoops (51-50); Chattanooga-Rusty Wright (9-8).
Series: First meeting.
Pre-game links
How Kentucky and Chattanooga match up -- with a game prediction
You won’t find Kentucky-Chattanooga on TV
Where to watch, how to follow Kentucky-Chattanooga
Mark Stoops weighs in on Kentucky as one of the best coaching jobs
