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As first halves go, this one sucked about as much for Kentucky as it normally does when we visit the Florida Gators in Gainesville. The only real difference is that Louisville's defense was vulnerable, and UK's offense was mostly competent, if not particularly successful.
Unfortunately, "competent" is not a description that could be used to describe Rick Minter's defense in the first half. In fact, they looked very much like the weak link to the team that we all feared, except not only in the secondary, but also in the running game as well. Then, after UK fumbled away a promising drive near the end of the half, and achieved their only defensive stop of the game five plays later.
All I can say about the first half is that if the Louisville Cardinals continue to score on every drive, it really doesn't matter what the UK offense does down 2+ touchdowns. You can't outscore a team you can never stop, and Louisville has never even momentarily pondered a field goal. The way they are moving the ball, I think they could comfortably go for forth and 10, and I would have no confidence the Wildcats defense could defend it.
Can Minter do something on defense that will slow down the Louisville offense? If so, UK has a slim chance at a comeback. Otherwise, the second half will look very much like the first. Let's hope that last series of the first half will indicate that the defense has finally figured something out.
Go, 'Cats!