Kentucky Football’s top 5 moments from the first half of the season

If Kentucky fans were told their football team would be 5-1, 3-1 in the SEC, ranked 18th in the country and beat Florida for the first time in 31 years in the season’s opening weeks before the season, no one would believe it.

The Cats did just that. Despite a crushing loss to Texas A&M, the season is off to a magical start with the Wildcats in a great position to play a New Year’s Day bowl game.

There have been many great moments but here are the five that have stuck out the most.

No. 5: Derrick Baity forces fumble, Darius West scores

The Texas A&M game is one that many Kentucky fans will want to forget. With the offense struggling to move the ball, the defense stepped up and made a magical play. Derrick Baity punched the ball out of Kellen Mond’s hands, and Darius West scooped and scored to tie the game and eventually force overtime.

No. 4: Lynn Bowden’s first career touchdown pads lead over Florida

Up 14-10 in the third quarter, many Kentucky fans still feared the worst. The team choked away a double-digit lead to the Gators a year earlier, and there wasn’t much faith in Kentucky holding a small lead on the road. That changed when Terry Wilson threw a dime to Lynn Bowden for a 54-yard score to extend the lead, and it showed the Big Blue Nation that Wilson was the quarterback that could finally take down the Gators, and that Bowden was the big time recruit that they hoped he’d become when he came to UK in 2017.

No. 3: Mike Edwards interception clinches a 5-0 start

Kentucky’s offense was dormant in the second half of their game against South Carolina. The Gamecocks cut the Cats 24-3 halftime lead down to 24-10 and were in the red zone threatening to make it a one-possession game. All hope for the Gamecocks ended on one play however, when Jake Bentley was picked off by Mike Edwards in the end zone to seal a fifth straight Wildcat win.

No. 2: Benny Snell Jr puts a bow on Mississippi State win

The Mississippi State Bulldogs were ranked No. 14 coming into Lexington. A Cats win would have them ranked for the first time since 2007. Benny Snell did everything and then some to make that happen by running for 165 yards and four scores in the Cats 28-7 win. Snell’s final score sealed the deal and put the home crowd into hysterics.

No. 1: Wacky touchdown ends the streak

Kentucky led Florida by five in the final seconds of their week two match-up in Gainesville. The Gators needed a miracle play to extend the streak to 32 years. Josh Allen did not let that happen. He hit quarterback Felipe Franks as he threw, causing a fumble. It seemed it might have been an incomplete pass but the whistle never blew. Davonte Robinson scooped the fumble and scored it closing out a 27-16 Kentucky win, ending the streak.

It’s been an incredible start to the football season. At 5-1 Kentucky still has a legitimate chance to win the SEC East. Let’s hope this amazing first half is just a beginning.