Kentucky knocks off No. 6 Ole Miss

Field Level Media|published: Sat 28th September, 16:22 2024

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Brock Vandagriff (12) passes the ball for a touchdown as Mississippi Rebels defensive linemen Zxavian Harris (51) pursues during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Kentucky's Brock Vandagriff completed a 63-yard pass on fourth down, Josh Kattus scored the game-winner on a fumble recovery, and the Wildcats shocked No. 6 Ole Miss 20-17 in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday afternoon in Oxford, Miss.

With Kentucky trailing 17-13 with 3:51 left and backed up at its own 20, Vandagriff heaved a 63-yarder to Barion Brown.

Gavin Wimsatt then fumbled on a keeper and tight end Kattus caught the ball and fell two yards for the winning TD with 2:25 left.

Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis hooked a 48-yard field goal with 48 seconds left that would have forced overtime.

In their first road game this season, the 17-point underdog Wildcats (3-2, 1-2 SEC) won for the first time in Oxford since 1978 but had to rally.

Vandagriff was 18 of 28 for a career-high 243 yards with a touchdown. Dane Key caught eight passes for 105 yards and a score.

The FBS' top-scoring squad at 55 points per game, Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1) saw Jaxson Dart go 18 of 27 for 261 yards and a TD, with receiver Tre Harris notching 176 yards and a score on 11 receptions.

Mississippi's high-powered offense struck right away on an 83-yard drive that Dart set up with a 39-yard catch-and-run to Harris to the 1. Parrish then tallied his eighth rushing TD just 2:09 in.

Kentucky answered impressively, traveling 66 yards in 15 plays as Alex Raynor connected with 5:13 left on a 27-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

The visitors took a 10-7 lead on Vandagriff's 5-yard scoring pass to Key with 27 seconds left to end a penalty-aided drive.

Like it did against then-No. 1 Georgia two weeks ago at home, the Wildcats' defense frustrated Dart and the offensive unit and held a 21:39-8:21 time of possession edge in the half.

The 10-7 deficit marked only the second time fifth-year coach Lane Kiffin trailed at halftime at Ole Miss, the other occurring in his Rebels' debut against Florida in 2020.

After Davis' 31-yard field tied it at 10 early in the second half, Raynor stretched his consecutive field goal streak to 14 by nailing one from 48 yards with 6:31 left in the third quarter.

With seconds remaining in the quarter, Kiffin gambled on fourth-and-7 at midfield and hit Harris on a slant. The received then dashed 48 yards for a 17-13 lead.

--Field Level Media