Kentucky vs. LSU: Game Grades and Analysis for the Wildcats and Tigers

LSU got a big win on Saturday night as it defeated Kentucky 41-3. The final box score can be found here thanks to NCAA.com.

LSU played well on offense, defense and special teams. It was a game the Tigers needed to play well because their schedule is not going to get any easier.

As for Kentucky, it got a reality check in Death Valley. As good of a start the Wildcats had to the season, they are not ready to play with the big boys yet, and they have a lot of things to work on moving forward.

Here are game grades and analysis for the Wildcats and Tigers.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	D	D
Running Offense	F	F
Passing Defense	C+	C+
Running Defense	D	F
Special Teams	F	D
Coaching	C	C

Passing Offense: Patrick Towles has been one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC this season, but he didn’t look like it against LSU. He was 19-of-39 with 146 yards and no touchdowns. He could never get comfortable in the pocket, overthrowing his receivers while constantly facing pressure. Towles will have better games this season, but this was his opportunity to make a statement, and he couldn’t do it.

Running Offense: The running game was also a non-factor for the Wildcats as they rushed for 71 yards on 27 carries. Jojo Kemp and Stanley Williams are talented backs who have a lot of speed, but the LSU front seven was faster, and Kentucky could never establish the run game because of it. That led to Towles trying to do more than he could handle.

Passing Defense: The one thing Kentucky was good at was pass defense, as it only allowed 120 yards through the air. Marcus McWilson was all over the field with 10 tackles and one interception. Josh Forest was also solid in pass defense with 10 tackles and one quarterback hurry. The Wildcats have a good pass defense because they are disciplined and do not allow the big play, and that was the case against LSU.

Running Defense: As far as the run defense goes, the Wildcats wore down in the second half. They allowed 303 yards on the ground, and the majority came from Terrence Magee, who had 127 yards and two touchdowns. Leonard Fournette pounded Kentucky in the first half, and Magee did his damage later. The Wildcats had no answers for him.

Special Teams: If anything killed the Wildcats, it was the play of the special teams. Magee opened the game with a 49-yard kick return that set up LSU’s first touchdown, while Tre White returned a punt for a touchdown in the first quarter. White had 114 return yards because Kentucky’s coverage units played loose all game long, which cost the team.

Coaching: Even though the Wildcats got blown out, they never gave up. Mark Stoops had the right game plan, but the players could not execute. This game was good for the coaching staff and the players because they can learn from this loss and be a better team by the end of the year.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Passing Offense	C-	C
Running Offense	B	A
Passing Defense	A	A
Running Defense	A	A
Special Teams	A+	A
Coaching	A	A

Passing Offense: Anthony Jennings did not have a breakout game in terms of throwing the ball, but he managed the game and did not make any mistakes. He only had 14 pass attempts and one touchdown. Part of the reason for the lack of throwing the football was LSU wanted to establish the run.

Running Offense: The Tigers established the run in a huge way. They racked up 303 yards on the ground, and Magee got 127 of those yards along with two touchdowns. But Darrel Williams also ran well with 61 yards on 10 rushes, and Fournette had 40 yards on 15 carries. LSU was able to establish the run because the offensive line beat the defensive line constantly, wearing down Kentucky in the second half.

Passing Defense: The LSU defense was all over Towles as he only had 146 yards through the air. The reason for that is LSU’s defensive line was too fast and strong for the Kentucky offensive line. Danielle Hunter was the MVP on defense with three pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. Kendell Beckwith and Jamal Adams applied pressure on Towles as well.

Running Defense: Kentucky got nothing going on the ground, averaging 2.7 yards per game. Again, it had to do with the defensive line beating the Wildcats offensive line all game long. Beckwith also had nine tackles in the win, and Hunter made plays in the backfield with two tackles for loss. LSU’s defense is improving each game and will be a threat by the end of the year.

Special Teams: The special teams had their best game of the season against Kentucky. Magee and White had big returns, and Colby Delahoussaye was automatic with his field goals. Furthermore, the coverage teams never let Kentucky get any momentum with a big return. Without the play of the special teams, LSU probably would not have won as big as it did.

Coaching: Les Miles knew what his team needed to do in order to beat Kentucky, and the players did it in convincing fashion. His team was prepared and disciplined, executing in every aspect of the game. Miles knew that Kentucky was going to fight, but he made sure his team got off to a fast start and had a strong finish.