I owe Will Stein an apology. And possibly a fruit basket.
Shortly before kickoff against South Carolina, Kentucky’s first-year head coach told Tom Leach that his team had enjoyed a productive week of practice. The players were focused, their mindset was right, and everybody was ready to play.
Seventeen unanswered points later, I suggested on social media that the right mindset and focus must have missed the team bus. Perhaps they were still enjoying the complimentary hotel breakfast. Whatever the case, they certainly weren’t anywhere near Williams-Brice Stadium.
Apparently, they were just running late.
Kentucky 35, South Carolina 34 in overtime. It was the largest come-from-behind road victory in Kentucky football history, courtesy of a team that evidently believes the first quarter is optional and a fan base that has collectively exhausted its supply of blood pressure medication.
I’ve followed Kentucky football for more than half a century. I’ve witnessed enough heartbreaking losses to qualify for federal disaster assistance, watched promising seasons disappear faster than complimentary food in a press box, and spent countless Saturday evenings wondering why I continue subjecting myself to this particular form of recreational torture. So cut me some slack if I remain a tad bit cynical.
Just when I was ready to pronounce the patient dead, somebody brought out the defibrillator.
Kenny Minchey deserves a substantial portion of the credit. His final numbers won’t necessarily send Heisman voters scrambling for their ballots, but 28 completions in 41 attempts, 272 passing yards, and three touchdowns tell only part of the story. With the running game struggling to establish itself, Minchey had to help bring Kentucky back through the air.
And he had plenty of accomplices. Kenny Darby caught 12 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Nic Anderson contributed five receptions for 80 yards and another score. Willie Rodriguez added five catches for 57 yards before delivering the two most important points of the afternoon.
With Kentucky’s comeback hanging in the balance, Rodriguez hauled in the decisive two-point conversion that turned a remarkable rally into a historic victory. Somewhere across the Commonwealth, grown men were hugging strangers, frightening household pets, and making promises to the Almighty that they’ll conveniently forget before next Sunday.
Will Stein called them his Comeback Cats. He also talked about a band of brothers, an expression I’ve generally associated with coaches who have run out of original material for their motivational speeches. But I’m beginning to believe him. This team has now demonstrated an unusual ability to absorb punishment and regroup without surrendering.
I’m not suggesting that spotting SEC opponents 17 points is a sustainable business model. In fact, I’d strongly recommend against it. But there is something rather intoxicating about watching a Kentucky football team refuse to accept the inevitable.
Which brings us to LSU.
A week ago, the Tigers’ upcoming visit might have inspired the usual combination of cautious optimism and gastrointestinal distress. Now I’m contemplating possibilities that would have seemed certifiably insane when South Carolina was running roughshod over Kentucky’s defense.
What if this team is actually good? What if Stein has assembled something special? What if the Wildcats can somehow defeat LSU and turn the remainder of this season into an extended celebration of everything we’ve spent decades believing Kentucky football could become?
Somebody confiscate my computer before I start researching College Football Playoff hotel accommodations.
Of course, there’s a rather significant difference between believing you can beat anybody and actually demonstrating that you can play four competent quarters against somebody. Kentucky has developed an impressive capacity for surviving adversity, but I’d prefer that the Wildcats occasionally experiment with avoiding it altogether.
Still, two extraordinary road victories over Texas A&M and South Carolina have changed the conversation. The dream that seemed so improbable when the season began is suddenly alive and well.
And if the Comeback Cats somehow knock off LSU next Saturday, I may have to reconsider my entire philosophy of Kentucky football.
Just one request, Coach.
Next time, please make sure the mindset and focus arrive before kickoff. My cardiologist and I would greatly appreciate it.
Dr. John Huang is a retired orthodontist, military veteran, and award-winning author. Currently serving as a columnist for Nolan Group Media, he invites readers to follow him on social media @KYHuangs. Explore his latest, Whining for Posterity, and all his books at Amazon.
