LEXINGTON, Ky. — The fireworks exploded from all four corners of Kroger Field, a celebration to mark the start of the fourth quarter. As Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen lined up on the left side of the defensive line, the boundary side, the smog of pyrotechnics lingered in the air, clouding the view from the press box. The rain poured down, but Kentucky fans and players couldn’t care less about the soggy weather. The Wildcats had a touchdown lead over No. 14 Mississippi State thanks to a disruptive defensive performance led by Allen, the team’s senior star.
On first-and-10, Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald scrambled up the middle.