![Kentucky Wildcats punt]()
What just happened to the Kentucky Wildcats is further proof that every college football and NFL coaching staff should have a Common Sense Coordinator.
Kentucky had the No. 1 team in the nation on the ropes. Georgia was in a dogfight in Lexington that they were in real peril of losing, which would've really cramped their plans to be among the top College Football Playoff seeds. The Wildcats could've gotten the biggest victory in program history. Forgive me if they had a bigger one before this. They're a basketball school after all.
This had the makings of a Hollywood ending. Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff starting at quarterback for the home team and hanging tough while being under siege by the Bulldogs defense. The Wildcats manhandling the visitors' o-line at the point of attack, led by freakish defensive tackle Deone Walker, who I wish my Cincinnati Bengals could have on the squad
today.
...And then Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops ruined it all. He punted with about three minutes left and his Wildcats on the fringe of field goal range. They had timeouts to burn if Georgia got the stop. It was just one of those watershed moments where Stoops came up small.
The worst part? Kentucky damn near won this thing. Had Vandagirff had a fraction longer to unload a short-range crossing route, it's very possible Alex Raynor would've drilled his fifth field goal of the evening to seal a 15-13 upset.
https://twitter.com/CarterthePower/status/1835154189476929960
Instead, the Wildcats never got a real shot to redeem themselves, getting the ball back with mere seconds left in a 13-12 loss.
You might be stunned to find out that the reactions were none too kind to Kentucky's fearful leader.
https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/1835152933186683259
https://twitter.com/2Fast2Nathan/status/1835152064042713140
https://twitter.com/TristanUda/status/1835154377713012931
https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1835152352283611260
https://twitter.com/KentuckyNet/status/1835152174008897579
https://twitter.com/Aaron_Torres/status/1835158406698877318
https://twitter.com/TukkerJacob/status/1835152270708662309
https://twitter.com/PoisedParlays/status/1835157129021333844
https://twitter.com/BigBlueBud/status/1835154074057978249
https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/1835158099411218870
And that, ladies and gents, is what choking looks like in real time.
Mark Stoops might never live this down. I just feel bad for the players and fans more than anything else. At least take a shot. Hell, bomb it down the field and pray for pass interference if nothing else.
Arm punt it DJ Uiagalelei style. To not even try, and give your offense virtually zero chance once they finally got the ball back? Weak sauce, Mark. This isn't like a revisionist history/hindsight is 20/20 take. It was obvious in the moment as it is now.
Not gonna stick around for the postgame explanation. My brain might melt from the stupidity.
