ORLANDO – The No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats and No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions faced off in the 73rd Citrus Bowl.
The Kentucky defense was fired up to start the game as they forced the Nittany Lions into a turnover on downs. The stop led to a 3-0 lead after a 28-yard field goal by kicker Miles Butler.
The Wildcats defensive pressure continued in the latter part of the first quarter as they forced another turnover. They accomplished the hat trick and forced a turnover on downs.
Lynn Bowden, Jr. would take back the ensuing punt for a 58-yard touchdown return to make it 10-0 at the end of the first.
Not long after that Penn State’s offense got on the board after a 1-yard pass from quarterback Trace McSorley to Nick Bowers. With the extra point, it cut the Wildcats lead to three at 10-7.
The second didn’t hold much action as both defenses hunkered down. Right before the half, Kentucky partially blocked a Penn State field goal to stop the Wildcats in the red zone.
Kentucky running back Benny Snell scored on a 2-yard run to extend his team’s lead to 17-7 with 12:38 left in the third.
Butler kept the Wildcats rolling in the third as he knocked through a 28-yard field goal to make it 20-7 with a little under three minutes left in the third.
McSorley was out most of the third quarter with an injury, but returned later in the pivotal frame. He would be picked off by Kentucky’s Lonnie Johnson, who would return it for 24 yards.
Snell would score two plays later on a 12-yard touchdown run that also earned him the title of all-time leading rusher for Kentucky.
The offense continued to struggle in the second half as they were 1-10 on third down conversion going into the fourth quarter.
Led by McSorley, Penn State put together a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a 1-yard run by McSorley to cut Kentucky’s lead to 27-14 early in the fourth quarter.
McSorley would come alive again in the fourth with a 18-yard touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth. With the extra point, Penn State cut Kentucky’s lead to 27-21 with nine minutes left in the game.
Penn State would make a late 32-yard field goal to further cut Kentucky’s lead to three.
But Kentucky would get the ball back with a little over four minutes left in the game and effectively run the clock out to win, 27-24.
Photo Credit: Jalen Chambers-Kujichagulia/JAKTrade Media
