Seth McGowan scored UK's second touchdown in Saturday's win. (Vicky Graff Photo)
It wasn’t an offensive explosion, but Kentucky did just enough to defeat Toledo, 24-16, in the season opener on Saturday.
With a roster stocked with 55 newcomers, the Wildcats got a big lift from three of their 27 transfers, including running backs Dante Dowdell (Nebraska) and Seth McGowan (New Mexico State). Dowdell and McGowan combined for 207 yards rushing for the Wildcats, who wore down the Rockets’ defense with 220 yards rushing.
“They are good players,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “I’m glad you saw that today, and I’m glad we had an opportunity to get them in the open field.”
The Wildcats (1-0) won their sixth straight home opener, a string of five in a row, and did so against the gritty Rockets, a preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference this season.
“I don’t think they (the players) are satisfied,” Stoops said. “But, we will take the victory at any time. Our players are appreciative to be 1-0. We all know what Toledo is capable of, and they weren’t going to go away.
In his Kentucky debut, Dowdell ripped off a much-needed 79-yard run, the longest of his career, in the second half that provided adequate separation between the two teams. Known as a power running back, Dowdell displayed his explosiveness on his first touchdown run as a Wildcat and made a statement.
“I want to change the narrative on me,” he said. “I’m still going to be a power back, but I still want to let everyone know that I can break my runs too.”
In his seventh year at the collegiate level, quarterback Zach Calzada threw for 85 yards in his debut with the Wildcats. Calzada added 14 yards rushing and scored the team’s first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard rush in the first quarter. Calzada made several deep throws and connected on a 23-yard completion to Willie Rodriguez, his longest completion in the contest.
The revamped offensive line didn’t surrender a sack and had just three penalties for 30 yards, an improvement from last year’s squad that struggled with mistakes and miscues at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball last season.
While the offense was hit and miss in the opener, the team’s defense was on task and limited the Rockets to just 59 yards rushing and had an interception in the first half. The Wildcats gave 329 total yards, most of which came in the fourth quarter behind Toledo veteran quarterback Tucker Gleason.
Gleason, one of the top returning players in the Mid-American Conference, threw for a game-high 270 yards and one touchdown. The Rockets’ performance wasn’t a surprise to Stoops.
“We overcame those bad plays and won the football game,” Stoops said. “We beat a very good team that’s getting Top 25 votes. It’s not like they’re a bad team. We got the victory.”
Much to the delight of Stoops, it was the Wildcats’ defense that set the tone early and had a pair of fourth-down stops, including a goal-line stand on their own 4-yard line in the first half. Kentucky linebacker Alex Afari produced the crucial tackle at the goal line and led the Wildcats with 13 tackles. Afari had nine solo tackles, one sack, and two tackles for a loss.
“He was around the football,” Stoops said. “He’s been very steady, a very good player, great young man, again, great leader. So happy for Alex. That’s the way he’s been playing.”
* * *
GAMETRACKER: Ole Miss at Kentucky, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. TV/Radio: ABC, UK Radio Network.
26 Responses
This was one of the toughest season opener game cats has played. I thought our defense play lights out for the most part.
Our linebacker play was outstanding! The run game was solid. Those two factors won the game. The O line was respectable, Calzada didn't get sacked even once yet he seemed rushed in his throws which threw his accuracy off bigtime. Ole Miss will be a truer litmus test of where we are and aren't.
Perhaps Toledo's defense are monsters of the midway, and this offense is so much stronger than it showed. NOT.
Perhaps Toledo's offense is off the charts, and the UK defense is so much stronger than that 4th quarter demonstrated. NOT.
This team is already finished before it has started.
At this stage of the season, it is not about being 1-0. It is about showing strength and dominating these early opponents. Nothing less is good. Dominance in game 1 is not proof positive either, but without it, there is no season.
There is some good news from this game. We finally found a conference that KY can compete in – Mid American.
Toledo would be in the bottom 3 teams of the SEC. They may be good in the Mid America, but that is nothing like the SEC.
UK's defense looked decent, but they gave up a lot of passing yards and they still need desperate help on 3rd and long. Funny how that is a problem every season and it never comes close to getting fixed.
UK's running backs weren't all that good. Take away the 79 yard run and their stats are mediocre. Yes, big plays win games, but you need consistency to be really good.
This is the first game and maybe things will get better, but I don't have much hope.
HEY, we are in the bottom 3 teams in the SEC as well!
Dowdell looked better than McGowan too me. Maybe Boley is better than Calzada? Who knows at this point. I do know the play calling is ridiculous and the execution on offense is even worse. This what happens when bad coaches get overpayed.
They really didn't show much for what is supposed to be one of the top 25 talented teams in college football.
I think our defense has something do with that.
I mean UK. The other day they announced UK is one of the top 25 most talented teams. The kicker is they are 15th in the SEC.
Players and coaches are overpaid.
First game of the season and there were fewer tailgateers. Lots of empty seats.
How many games have we watched now and how many more will we have to watch to showcase the total ineptitude of Hamdan? This man does not have a creative bone in his body and it continues to be very obvious why Boise St. wanted to S—Can him. Last year he really never game planned for tight end passes. Yesterday, it appeared he hadn't game planned for wide receivers. That trying to constantly pound the middle with a running attack didn't work last year and looked the same yesterday. Is the BBW going to continue to be an illusion after all the hype? Has this idiot ever heard of a "short passing" game?
The two things that surprised me the most is Wilcox not receiving one carry. That's baffling when he led us in rushing last year and made some big plays against some great defenses. He couldn't get a carry or 2 vs a Toledo defense? Who knows he could have taken one to the house. He has elite speed. Another is Boley not getting even a series. It was a sloppy game. I think Kentucky was even more sloppy than Toledo. We didn't allow a sack which is a great way to start the season. We also came out of the game almost injury free which is another great sign going into next week's matchup with Ole Miss. I think Kentucky wins a close game. 27-24. I think we run all over Ole Miss. There defense is not that good and there breaking in a new QB as well.
Wilcox supposedly didn't play because of team violation during the week. Probably forgot to put shoes on. He does need to show more maturity and team buy-in. If not, what a wasted talent.
Stoops is now 77-73 at Kentucky. Not great, not terrible, mostly average and that's all we will get out of him.
Stoops is on the hotseat for sure, but thanks to the Bama debacle, DeBoer is currently sitting on the hottest seat in the SEC.
Yet he is in the top five coaches in the nation salary wise.
Why not give Boley a series to see if he would provide a spark in the offense. Hamden and Stoops are terrible at offense .
Boley will most likely not see even mopup duty unless Calzada gets hurt and then Boley will get thrown into the fire.
Going to be a long year
1 down to my 7-5 prediction and imay eat my crow. But will see
79, you should be used to the taste of it by now. Your heart is in the right place but your knowledge of the X and Os needs some work. This team will overachieve if they win 4 games.
The offense is as it is because that is the offense that Stoops insists upon. The name on the OC office door is much less important than the stranglehold that Stoops has maintained on the current occupant and all of his predecessors.
I'mcurrently watching the Miami Norte dame game. I'm wandering if Stoops wants Shannon Dawson back??
Stoops fired him because, his own words, he wanted to score too fast and wouldn't let his defense rest.
Stoops doesn't play to win, he plays not to lose.