Classic SEC Football: LSU Tops Kentucky in 'The Bluegrass Miracle'

Every Friday, The SEC Blog will feature one classic game from the storied history of SEC football.

It wasn't supposed to be a great game, but the 2002 contest between LSU and Lexington will go down as one of the most improbable games in SEC history.

LSU traveled to Lexington on Nov. 9, 2002 to take on Kentucky in a game that meant a lot for the Tigers. Nick Saban's 6-2 LSU team was coming off of its first SEC loss of the season, a 31-7 loss to Auburn, but was still in the thick of the SEC West race.

At 6-3, the Wildcats were enjoying a solid season, and a win over the defending SEC champions would certainly make it even more sweet.

A John Corbello field goal gave LSU a 24-14 lead over Kentucky early in the fourth quarter, but that's when the madness started.

Wildcat quarterback Jared Lorenzen hit Aaron Boone on two touchdowns to bring the Wildcats back. Taylor Begley hit a 29-yard field goal with 11 seconds left to give Kentucky a 30-27 lead.

LSU was pinned back at the 9-yard line on the kickoff. A pass from Marcus Randall to Michael Clayton got the Tigers out to their own 26-yard line with two seconds left, setting up one of the most dramatic finishes in SEC history.

With Kentucky fans already lining up on the sidelines to storm the field, and head coach Guy Morriss dripping wet from a premature Gatorade bath, LSU took its last shot.

Randall rolled right and let it fly. Clayton tipped the pass at the 25-yard line to Devery Henderson, who bobbled and caught it in stride, broke a tackle and cruised to the end zone to give the Tigers the improbable win.

Not knowing what happened at the other end of the field, Kentucky fans stormed the field and began to tear down the goal post thinking that the Wildcats had won.

They didn't.

Final score: LSU 33, Kentucky 30.

LSU would lose to Alabama the next week and then to Arkansas to close out the season. Kentucky finished 7-5 but was ineligible for a bowl game due to sanctions that were handed down for violations under former head coach Hal Mumme.

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