Advertisement

Stoops staying should be relief for Cats

Nov. 28—What a whirlwind of a weekend for the Kentucky football program.

The Wildcats, who had been on a downward spiral for the second half of the year, wrapped up their regular season with a win over bitter rival Louisville, overcoming two 10-point deficits to knock the then-No. 9 Cardinals out of College Football Playoff contention and secure a winning record.

kAm%92E H@F=5'G6 366? C62D@? 6?@F89 E@ 46=63C2E6[ 3FE E96? 42>6 E96 CF>@CD — 2?5 6G6? 2 76H "C6A@CED" — E92E "E9\J62C &z 9625 4@249 |2C$E@@AD H2D A24Aj|] }@ @?6 @? E96 @FED:56 ECF=J 6 E96 DF? 42>6 FA $F?52J >@C?:?8[ @?6 E9:?8 H2D 46CE2:?i $E@@AD :D DE2J:?8]k^Am

kAm"x F49 DA64F=2E:@? 23@FE >6 2?5 >J ;@3 D:EF2E:@? E96 =2DE 4@FA=6 @7 52JD[" 96 HC@E6 @? D@4:2= >65:2 D9@CE=J 27E6C >:5?:89E] "xE'D ECF6 x H2D 4@?E24E65 23@FE 2 A@E6?E:2= @AA@CEF?:EJ E9:D H66:=J[ x J 962CE x 4@F=5?'E =62G6 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 z6?EF4:?:DEC2E:@? 2?5 8C62E6DE 72? 32D6 :? 4@==686 7@@E32== C:89E H96C6 x'> 2E] x'> 6I4:E65 E@ D2J x'> 2 (:=542EP"k^Am

kAmp?5 E96:C 72?D D9@F=5 3C62E96 2 D:89 @7 C6=:67]k^Am

kAm%96C6'D 2=H2JD F?C6DE 2>@?8DE 6G6CJ 72? 32D6[ @7 4@FCD6[ 2?5 :E'D ECF6 E92E 324A2:8?D 92G6 366? 2 5:D2AA@:?E>6?E 27E6C EH@ J62CD @7 @77D62D@? 9JA6 — 3FE[ 7@C H96C6 &z 92D 366?[ H96C6 :E :D ?@H 2?5 H96C6 :E H2?ED E@ 36[ =@D:?8 $E@@AD H@F=5 92G6 366? E@F89]k^Am

kAm%96 $tr :D D6E E@ 6IA2?5 ?6IE J62C H:E9 E96 255:E:@? @7 ~2 2?5 %6I2D ?6IE J62C[ A@4:?8 2?5 8@:?8]k^Am

kAmu@C E96 (:=542ED E@ DE2CE @G6C H:E9 2 ?6H 4@249 27E6C BF2=:7J:?8 7@C 2 D49@@=\C64@C5 6:89E9 4@?D64FE:G6 3@H= 82>6[ 6DA64:2==J :? E96 4FCC6?E =2?5D42A6 @7 4@==686 7@@E32== 2?5 E96 $tr[ :E'5 36 2 >F=E:\J62C C63F:=5 — 6DA64:2==J H96? DEF56?E\2E9=6E6D 42? =62G6 E9C@F89 E96 A@CE2= 2E 2 >@>6?E'D ?@E:46]k^Am

kAmx? 2 D:>:=2C D6?D6[ $E@@AD H@F=5 92G6 E@ C6DE2CE :? r@==686 $E2E:@? E@@[ E9@F89 E96 3:8\>@?6J 3@@DE6CD H@F=5'G6 96=A65 6C2D6 2?J 5@F3ED]k^Am

kAm"x H2D AFCDF65 3J 2?@E96C @AA@CEF?:EJ[ 2?5 x 2> C:89E H96C6 x H2?E E@ 36[" $E@@AD D2:5 5FC:?8 9:D H66[ 2 3F?49 @7 A=2J6CD[ 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 2?5 2 3F?49 @7 A6@A=6 E92E 2C6 2=:8?65 E@ 5@ E96 C:89E E9:?8D 2?5 E@ H:?] x'> G6CJ 92AAJ]"k^Am

kAm}@H[ &z 42? EFC? :ED 2EE6?E:@? E@ AC6A2C:?8 7@C E96 FA4@>:?8 3@H= 82>6 2?5[ 2 >@C6 AC6DD:?8 >2EE6C[ ?2G:82E:?8 E96 @77D62D@?]k^Am

kAm#F??:?8 324#2J s2G:D 92D 2=C625J @AE65 @FE @7 E96 3@H= 82>6 E@ 6?E6C E96 a_ac }u{ sC27E[ 2?5 5676?D:G6 324y2=6? v6:86C 92D 2??@F?465 9:D A=2?D E@ EC2?D76C] ~7 4@FCD6[ @E96CD H:== >266E:?8D]k^Am

kAm"x7 J@F'C6 8@:?8 E@ >2@DE :>A@CE2?E=J[ :?E24E[" $E@@AD 25565]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 H9:C=H:?5 @7 2 H662:?D :?E24E[ 2D H6==]k^Am