College football final: Kentucky 44, Ball State 14
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Kentucky football’s 2023 campaign kicks off Saturday when the Wildcats play host to Ball State for a noon start at Kroger Field. The SEC Network has the telecast.
It’s Mark Stoops’ 11th season as the UK head coach. He’s 7-3 in season openers. Meanwhile, Ball State is 0-8 versus Power Five teams under head coach Mike Neu.
The Herald-Leader staff will be well represented at Kroger Field. Follow me on Twitter at @johnclayiv, as well as Jon Hale at @JonHale_HL; Mark Story at @markcstory and Cameron Drummond at @cdrummond97.
You can follow a UK football Twitter list here.
Links from Kentucky’s win over Ball State
Trevin Wallace, defense lead Kentucky over Ball State
Three takeaways from UK’s season-opening win
UK loses starting offensive guard Kenneth Horsey
Here’s how the first game with alcohol at Kroger Field went
Final stats from UK’s win over the Cardinals
What Kentucky’s win over Ball State means for the Wildcats
Five things to know from Kentucky’s win over Ball State
First scouting report on UK-EKU next Saturday
Final: Kentucky 44, Ball State 14
Kentucky scored on a 69-yard fumble recovery return by Jalen Geiger and a 99-yard kickoff return by Barion Brown on the way to a 37-14 victory over Ball State in the season opener at Kroger Field.
Ray Davis added a 30-yard touchdown run with six seconds left. The Vanderbilt transfer gained 112 yards on 14 carries with two scores. Dane Key caught three passes for 96 yards.
Devin Leary finished 18 of 31 for 241 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception. He was 10 of 11 through the air in the second half.
Kentucky-Ball State final stats
End of third quarter: Kentucky 37, Ball State 14
Kentucky has scored a defensive touchdown and a special team touchdown. It has also kicked three field goals.
Baron Brown does it again
After Ball State’s score, Kentucky sophomore Barion Brown returns the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career kickoff return for a score at UK. Cats now lead 37-14 with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
️ @BarionBrown to the
- @SECNetwork: https://t.co/3aG0GGb6M5 pic.twitter.com/QryBUP1RiL— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 2, 2023
Ball State cuts lead to 30-14
Ball State freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza engineered a 75-yard scoring drive in 10 plays to cut the Kentucky lead to 30-14 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter. Semonza hit wide receiver Ty Robinson from five yards out for the score. Robinson also had catches of 20 and 25 yards on the drive.
Kentucky extends lead to 30-7
On its first possession of the second half, Kentucky drove 89 yards in seven plays to extend its lead to 30-7 with 6:43 left in the third quarter. Devin Leary hit Brendon Bates with a 29-yard pass down to the Ball State 6. Next play, Leary hit Dane Key in the back of the end zone for the score.
Kenneth Horsey out for Kentucky
UK starting left offensive guard Kenneth Horsey was injured in the first half and will not return, according to UK. Dylan Ray, a transfer from West Virginia, took Horsey’s place.
Halftime: Kentucky 23, Ball State 7
Kentucky’s kicking game has looked good in the first half. Newcomer Alex Raynor, the transfer from Georgia Southern, was perfect 3 for 3 in the first half, hitting field goals 41, 46 and 46 yards. The latter 46-yard came at the halftime horn to give Mark Stoops’ Cats a 23-7 halftime lead over the invaders from the MAC.
Kentucky outgained Ball State 199-88 in the first half. UK quarterback Devin Leary was 8 of 20 for 144 yards with an interception. Dane Key caught two passes for 71 yards. More importantly, Brad White’s defense forced two turnovers (both fumbles) that lead to scores, including a 69-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Jalen Geiger.
Kentucky forces another turnover, adds to lead
UK defensive back Maxwell Hairston forced a Ball State fumble recovered by UK’s Jordan Lovett. Lovett actually returned it for a would-be only to have the play whistled dead and ruled that the receiver was down. Replay overturned the call. UK’s offense couldn’t move, but Alex Raynor booted a 46-yard field goal for a 20-7 Kentucky lead with 1:08 left in the first half.
Kentucky records a defensive touchdown for a 17-7 lead
Kentucky defensive back Alex Afari’s hit caused Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol to fumble after a completed pass. UK’s Jalen Geiger scooped up the loose ball and motored 69 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cats a 17-7 lead with 6:58 left in the second quarter.
Before the fumble, Ball State had been driving, moving from its own 25 to the UK 36-yard line.
It was the second career touchdown for Geiger. He had an interception return for a score against Vanderbilt in 2021. That was his first career start.
#ScoopAndScore - Fumble forced by @AlexAfari8. Recovered and returned 69-yards by @JalenGeiger!
- @SECNetwork: https://t.co/3aG0GGb6M5 pic.twitter.com/wU3MNgePa0— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 2, 2023
Kentucky goes back in front 10-7
UK matches the Ball State score with an 11-play, 70-yard drive to take a 10-7 lead with 11:31 left in the second quarter. Ray Davis scored the TD on a 2-yard run. Devin Leary was 3 for 5 passing on the drive for 51 yards. He hit Dane Key with a 27-yard pass to the Ball State 20. Key has two catches for 71 yards on the day.
End of 1Q: Ball State 7, Kentucky 3
Kentucky outgained Ball State 83-67 in the first quarter but trail the Cardinals after the first 15 minutes. UK quarterback Devin Leary was 2 of 6 passing for 51 yards in the first 15 minutes. The Cats were 0 for 2 on third down before converting a third-and-1 on the final play of the first quarter.
UK-Ball State first quarter stats
Ball State takes a 7-3 lead
Ball State marched 73 yards in 13 plays in a 7:05 drive to take a 7-3 lead with 1:35 left in the first quarter. The Cardinals converted three third downs on the drive, including a third-and-goal quarterback sneak by Layne Hatcher for the lead. Kentucky has been hurt by numerous penalties in the first quarter. The Cats have been penalized four times for 25 yards. Ball State has not been penalized.
Kentucky takes early 3-0 lead
After a touchback on the opening kickoff, new Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary hit sophomore wide receiver Dane Key with a 44-yard completion. The drive stalled, but new UK kicker Alex Raynor drilled a 41-yard field goal to put the Cats in front 3-0 with 13:17 left in the first quarter.
Kentucky-Ball State pregame links and info
Here are some links for our pregame prep:
Kentucky football predictions from local reporters
Five things to know about the Ball State Cardinals
How UK and Ball State match up
Where to watch, how to follow UK-Ball State
Marques Cox an important transfer addition for UK
What to expect from UK transfers in 2023
Liam Coen 2.0 makes 2023 debut for Kentucky
What makes Devin Leary so accurate
Mark Stoops’ biggest accomplishment as UK football coach? These Cats have a chance.
Here’s a guide to all the changes for college football on television in 2023
As college football kicks off for 2023, here’s a Top 25 on the cusp of history
The key to Kentucky football in 2023: How will the Cats react when bad things happen?
