Kentucky @ Mississippi State -- Post mortem

I'm going to dash this off quickly, because very shortly I'll be watching the Blue/White game.  But before that, I have to run some belated errands, so I'll be recording it for at least the first part.

Great effort by Mississippi State.  They were able to move the ball and had a chance to win.  I really thought they would win, and I thought they played better football for most of the game.  But in the SEC, you must win or keep it close all three quarters, and UK clearly won the third by a large margin.

Quickly thoughts about the game:

• The defense didn't play particularly well, but they played well enough.
• -2 turnovers (the last one we got was desperation time).  We were lucky to win with that stat.
• Injuries keep coming.  Will it ever end?
• Not awful by Cobb, but not dominant either.  UK is going to have to consider a variant of the Veer or Spread Option if they are going to run him at QB.  They did that in the second half and UK played passable offense.
• Hartline did a respectable job in the snaps he took.
• Lones Seiber is a sad case.  I don't get it.
• Trevard Lindley had perhaps his worst game ever.  McRae pretty much owned him.  Yet we won.
• What a huge play the blocked PAT was.
• Not sure what to take away from this game.  Defensively, we were average.  Offensively, we still mostly stank.  At least special teams made a strong comeback from last week.
• Tydlacka's last punt was surely just adrenaline intoxication.
• What the heck was the playcalling on that last UK drive?
• Myron Pryor.  Do we miss him or what?
• Our o-line is still below average.
• We were robbed of a safety by unacceptably poor officiating.
• Winston Guy made two huge plays.  He needs to see more time.

• I hope Alfonso Smith's injury is minor.  We are running out of backs.

Like the Arkansas game, this is just one of those games you take.  It wasn't a gift, it was hard-fought and a defensive struggle, pretty much as we expected.  UK's defensive line did not get near enough pressure on Lee, and that is a major concern.  Maybe the return of Pryor will help solve that.

Anyway, it's time for the Blue/White game.  A victory is a victory, especially on the road in the SEC.  Go Big Blue!