Seth McGowan carried 18 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns as Kentucky cruised past Eastern Michigan 48-23 on Saturday night at Kroger Field.
Jason Patterson had 13 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. As a team, UK ran for 252 yards.
Redshirt freshman Cutter Boley got the start at quarterback, and he made the most of his opportunity. Boley connected on 12 of 21 through the air for 240 yards and two touchdowns. The completions and yards were both career highs and the touchdown passes tied the two that Boley threw against Murray State last season.
Josh Kattus led UK with three receptions and 61 yards receiving. Kattus was on the other end of one of Boley’s touchdown passes.
Jordan Lovett led Kentucky with eight tackles, while JQ Hardaway had six.
Eastern Michigan got the game’s first possession, but Noah Kim’s pass was intercepted by Daveren Rayner, who returned it to the EMU 10-yard line. Two plays later, McGowan scored on a four-yard touchdown run. Jacob Kauwe added the point after and UK led 7-0.
EMU would have more success on its next drive. The Eagles drove into UK territory but on fourth and two from the 22, the UK defense stopped Tavierre Dunlap short of the line to get, and the Cats took over at their own 21 with 10:41 still to play in the first quarter.
Kentucky (2-1) would get a first down via run before moving into EMU territory on a 23-yard pass play from Boley to tight end Kattus. Later in the drive, Boley hit tight end Willie Rodriguez for a 25-yard gain, getting the Cats to the EMU 24. After a personal foul penalty on the Eagles, McGowan scored his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 12-yard run, to extend the lead. Kauwe added the PAT and UK led 14-0 with 5:32 left in the first period.
On the next drive, the Eagles again drove into UK territory, and this time, their drive ended with points. A 38-yard field goal by Rudy Kessinger cut the UK lead to 14-3 with 2:20 left in the first.
Kentucky would punt on its next possession and EMU took over with 32 seconds remaining in the period, which would end with UK leading 14-3.
Eastern Michigan would punt early in the second quarter and a 25-yard punt return by Ty Bryant got the Cats to their own 46-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Kendrick Law rushed for 16 yards, getting the Cats into EMU territory. Two plays later, Boley connected with Hardley Gilmore for a 32-yard completion, getting UK to the EMU three-yard line. Two plays later, Boley found Rodriguez for a three-yard touchdown. Kauwe made the point after and UK led 21-3 with 10:18 remaining in the half.
The Eagles would respond with another scoring drive. EMU used 10 plays to cover 56 yards, ending with a 37-yard field goal from Kessinger, which cut the UK lead to 21-6 with 5:19 left in the first half.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Boley connected with Kattus for a 34-yard completion, getting the Cats to the EMU 41. McGowan then rushed for 17 and four yards and, two plays later, Boley found Kattus wide open for a four-yard touchdown. Kauwe added another point after, and Kentucky led 28-6 with 1:55 left in the half.
EMU would answer by scoring its first touchdown of the game. Kim found Terry Lockett streaking down the right sideline in what resulted in a 64-yard touchdown. Kessinger added the PAT and the UK lead was cut to 28-13 with 1:36 left in the half.
Kentucky would be forced to punt, and EMU got the ball back late in the half. The Eagles drove into UK territory and Kessinger converted a 50-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half, cutting the UK lead to 28-16. That would be the halftime score.
The Cats had the first possession of the third quarter. UK would make one first down but would punt and EMU took over at its own 20 with 12:40 to play in the third quarter. UK would return the favor, forcing Eastern Michigan to punt. The Cats took over at their own 37 with 10:51 left in the third quarter.
Kentucky used the ground game to get into EMU territory, but the drive stalled, and UK settled for a 51-yard field goal from Kauwe, extending the lead to 31-16 with 8:13 left in the third quarter.
The UK defense stopped Eastern Michigan on its next possession and the Eagles lined up to punt. However, it was a fake and the UK special teams were ready, stopping EMU short of the line to gain. UK took over at the EMU 27. On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, McGowan scored again, this time on an eight-yard rush. Kauwe added the PAT and UK extended its lead to 38-16 with 5:15 left in the period.
EMU would make a pair of first downs on its next drive, but the UK defense came up with a stop on a fourth-and-four play and the Cats took over at their own 43.
On the first play of the next drive, Boley found Ja’Mori Maclin for a 36-yard completion. The quarter would end with Kentucky on the doorstep of adding to its lead, which stood at 38-16 through three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, the UK drive stalled inside the EMU five-yard line. Kentucky settled for a 24-yard Kauwe field goal, which extended the lead to 41-16 with 13:16 remaining.
Kentucky added another touchdown in the fourth quarter, when Jason Patterson scored on a six-yard run, marking his first career touchdown. Kauwe added another point after and UK led 48-16 with 4:46 to play.
Eastern Michigan added a touchdown late to provide the final margin.
The Cats have next Saturday off before going on the road to face South Carolina on Sept. 27. The time and TV network for that game have not yet been announced.
Courtesy: UK Athletics
