Governor’s Cup LIVE: Mark stoops faces history series this weekend for the 36th time” as Kentucky is now ahead 20-15 in the series” here is the full delicacy prepared for the hot fierce fixture as history set to grind out the difference” according to report” fans gears brutally…
It’s safe to say that Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats have not enjoyed the success they had planned for in the 2024 season. The UK is 4-7 overall and 1-7 in league play going into the season finale. The SEC rating is the lowest since Stoops’ debut in 2013. Thus, for the first time since 2015, Kentucky will spend the holidays at home. The yearly “Battle For The Governor’s Cup” is the final game for the Wildcats. Since Kentucky plays Louisville in the Bowl Game on Saturday, let’s examine both teams, share some history, and make a prediction.
It’s Boley Time
During Monday’s press conference, Stoops announced his starting quarterback rather than playing the “will he or won’t he” game. Brock Vandagriff is passed over in favor of Cutter Boley, a local of Lexington. He also makes history by becoming the first quarterback from his hometown to start in the rivalry game since Shane Boyd in 2004.
The true freshman was a spark in the last two games, particularly in the defeat to Texas. Boley finished with two touchdowns, an interception, and 20 of 32 throws for 290 yards. In contrast, Vandagriff has hit 15 of 26 passes for 234 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
The head coach of Kentucky stated on Monday that “a young man is ready when he is ready.”He’s starting for the first time. He seems prepared for it, and I’m thrilled for both him and our group.
Why not see what Boley can do without a bowl game to play for? If he performs well then you likely have your starting quarterback for 2025. Taking it a step further, a strong game against Louisville can help with recruiting for next year, both in the portal and high school.
Let’s now look at Louisville as Kentucky’s bowl game is Saturday
Examining the Cardinals
Louisville is coming into the match with a 7-4 record. The coach of the Cardinals is Jeff Brohm. He is also among the greatest athletes in the history of the institution. They lost three of their four games to Miami, Notre Dame, and SMU, all of whom were predicted to qualify for the College Football Playoffs. A few weeks ago, they suffered a crushing defeat to Stanford, but their finest victory was versus Clemson.
Quarterback Tyler Shough leads the offense. So far the senior has completed 63% of his passes for 3,067 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Issac Brown is the Cards’ top running back. He’s sixth in the ACC with 896 yards and six rushing scores. However, he leads the league with just under seven-and-a-half yards per attempt. Ja’Corey Brooks leads the receiving corps with 61 catches for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns. His receiving yards lead the ACC.
This team, like the majority of Brohm-coached teams, excels offensively. With an average of 448 yards per game going into Saturday, they are ranked 15th in the country. Additionally, with 36.2 points per game, they are ranked 17th.
Now it is time to look at the rivalry in the “Battle For The Governor’s Cup.”
Series History
The Cats and Cards will face each other on the field for the 36th time on Saturday. Kentucky is now ahead 20-15 in the series, having won six of the previous seven games including five in a row. Furthermore, since the series was brought back to life in 1994, this is the 30th meeting. These two did not participate in the 2020 COVID-19 season. In 2017, Louisville last triumphed.
Ray Davis’ three touchdowns helped the Cats surprise the Cardinals in Louisville a season ago. After recording eight tackles, a sack, and two forced fumbles, J.J. Weaver was voted the game’s MVP, and Barion Brown returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown. With two seconds remaining, Jordan Lovett made an interception in the end zone to seal the victory.
The fact that home-field advantage hasn’t meant much since the series resumed in 1994 is an intriguing statistic. Kenutcky is 8-5 in Louisville and Louisville is 10-6 in Lexington. Is that going to continue this weekend? Since Kentucky’s bowl game is on Saturday, let’s see when it’s time to make predictions.
Who Takes the Governor’s Cup?
While Boley is the first true freshman to start for the Wildcats, he’s not the first to play against the Cards. Back in 1996, Hall of Famer Tim Couch threw for 101 yards and a score. Fast forward four years and redshirt freshman Jared Lorenzen had quite the debut. He threw for 322 yards with three touchdowns and three picks in a strange game the Cards won in overtime.
The Cats have struggled to find the end zone this season. This season, they haven’t scored more than 20 points in any SEC game. 1982 was the last time that had occurred. In their last five games, Louisville has scored at least thirty goals without experiencing these issues. For a defense that has reportedly been put to the test every week, it’s another tough test.
Watch for Kentucky to showcase not only Boley’s abilities but also the running of the ball by Jamarion Wilcox and Demie Sumo-Karngbaye. Naturally, a lot will rely on the offensive line, which has performed poorly this season. It’s going to be a long day if Boley is always frantically trying to survive.
Louisville, 24–17 It appears that the season will finish poorly for the third consecutive year if Kentucky’s bowl game is on Saturday.