UK blown out - where's Paul Bryant at when ya need him

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/printedition/2008/11/02/secbest.html

Starkville, Miss. —- The Kentucky Wildcats had multiple opportunities to lose Saturday’s 14-13 victory over Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs (3-6, 1-4 SEC) missed an extra point that would have tied the game, a 27-yard field goal, failed to convert a fourth down and threw an interception —- in the fourth quarter.

But the Wildcats (6-3, 2-3), who are 11-5 over the past three seasons in games decided by 10 points or fewer, never lost focus and left Starkville with its sixth win of the season.

“The one thing I am proud of about this team is the effort, guts and the determination that it takes to find a way to win on the road in this league,” coach Rich Brooks said.

The win gives Brooks’ program its second consecutive bowl-eligible season.

After last year’s breakthrough 8-5 season under coach Sylvester Croom, the Bulldogs have broken down this season with an anemic offense that has trouble to going anywhere. Kentucky held a run-first Mississippi State team to 43 yards and sacked Tyson Lee four times.

UK freshman Randall Cobb, the team’s go-to receiver who replaced Mike Hartline as starter after Kentucky’s embarrassing 63-5 loss to Florida last week, completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards and an interception.

Hartline and Cobb alternated possessions. Hartline finished 9 for 17 with 90 yards. Kentucky generated 274 total yards.

“Getting our sixth win doesn’t mean that we are necessarily in a bowl,” Brooks said. “But getting that sixth win puts us closer to doing some better things.”

In his first start, Cobb scored on a 5-yard touchdown run on the Wildcats’ opening drive of the second half, and then hit Maurice Grinter with a 3-yard touchdown pass later in the third to rally his team from a 7-0 halftime deficit to a 14-7 lead. Cobb threw one interception.