It is safe to say Saturday night would go down in the books of Lexington as a memorable one because the Kentucky Wildcats staged a comeback to hand the No. 10 LSU Tigers their first loss of the season with a 35-34 win in overtime on October 10, 2026, at Kroger Field.
The Wildcats won a big game after coming back last week from South Carolina, where they recorded one of the biggest wins in program history, with the win improving their season record to 5-1 while LSU drops to 4-2 and taking a big hit in their playoff dreams. The matchup was previously described by On3 as one that would see Kentucky record the biggest win of their season against a playoff team.
They did just that with style, with a coaching staff and a quarterback who were not afraid to end the game in one play.
After winning the toss and receiving, LSU started with a good drive, ending it with a field goal and a touchdown to score 10 points and go ahead by a 10-7 score at the end of the first quarter.
The statistics in favor of LSU during the initial period of the game were highly impressive. While LSU ran 41 plays to Kentucky’s nine in the first quarter, this was a clear indicator of the tough day awaiting Kentucky. However, in the second quarter of the game, the Wildcats made a lot out of fewer plays, showing how important big plays can be.
During the second quarter, Kentucky scored 14 points while LSU scored seven points. As a result, the flow of the game changed in favor of Kentucky, which went ahead by a 21-17 score at the half.
During this quarter, CJ Baxter was highly important, making a very long 77-yard rush, which is considered to be the best play in the history of this rivalry.
Such plays not only give yards but also inspire the crowd and change the momentum of the game.
The third quarter of the game was rather dull. The Tigers scored a field goal, narrowing the gap to 21-20, making the Kentucky lead just one point. Neither of the teams could pull ahead by a substantial margin, and each drive was filled with the idea that a single mistake or a spectacular play could change the game completely.
The fourth quarter proved to be the climax of the tension.
LSU managed to score seven points in that quarter, while Kentucky responded with six points, and the two teams were tied at 27-27. The game ended up in overtime, with the two teams managing to move the ball down the field during the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats won the toss in overtime and elected to start out by playing defensively, giving the ball back to LSU. LSU did not waste their opportunity. Quarterback Sam Leavitt took the ball on an option play and ran for 15 yards to score a touchdown and give LSU a 34-27 lead.
This now meant that the Wildcats would need a touchdown simply to tie the game and keep it alive for the Wildcats. This is when Kentucky wide receiver and freshman Kenneth Darby, a man who was once offered a scholarship by LSU, came up big. He caught a 22-yard pass and gave Kentucky first and goal at the one-yard line. The first down attempt got nothing, but Baxter pushed his way into the end zone from a yard out to give Kentucky the 34-33 lead.
Now came the play decision that would be most crucial for the Wildcats. The traditional extra point attempt would simply send the game to a second overtime tied at 34. Instead, the Wildcats went for two and the win.
Minchey kept the ball and ran straight up the middle. LSU had opened up the field for that area of the end zone, and he saw it, running through the goal line to convert the try and give his team the 35-34 lead. In post-game interviews, Minchey said that there was no one in the middle and that he simply took advantage of the defense that had allowed him.
He even mentioned that he had recognized the look pre-snap and seen the hole available, regardless of the play itself.
This was the crucial element. It was not a blind risk taken. This was a quarterback who was reading the defense at that moment and taking what he saw. LSU had no more answers, and the celebration was on in the packed stadium.
When it comes to going for two points in overtime, it may be one of the decisions in football under the most pressure.
Make the kick, and the game will continue. Miss the conversion, and the game ends right then and there. The Kentucky coaching staff looked at this risk and realized that the best way to win came down to one play at the two-yard line.
It certainly did fit the mold of the game. For Kentucky, they had been playing from behind in terms of possession all game long, surviving off big plays and not much else. A coaching staff who had seen their team flourish on big moments was justified in calling one last big moment to win the game. And, in the end, it is what makes for a great call, one that looks brave beforehand and inevitable afterward.
For Kentucky, they now have back-to-back dramatic victories under new head coach Will Stein. After winning on the road at South Carolina in a similar fashion, Kentucky now travels to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 17 for their first-ever trip to this venue, looking confident.
The loss is going to hurt LSU badly since the team had control of the ball for the most part and had significantly more snaps than its opponent. However, it still managed to fail in converting this advantage into the victory.
It was difficult for the team to stop the run on defense since the best example of it is Baxter's 77-yard gain. If LSU wants to compete for the postseason, it needs to improve its defense soon because the SEC schedule is only getting harder.
