Vandy chokes at Kentucky; Texas avoids an upset
Kentucky’s Shane Boyd threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Glenn Holt with 1:39 left, lifting the Wildcats past Vanderbilt 14-13 on Saturday.
Kentucky (2-8, 1-6 Southeastern Conference) snapped a seven-game losing streak. Boyd and Holt connected for two fourth-quarter touchdowns against the Commodores (2-8, 1-6), who just missed recording what would have been their first SEC road win in four years.
Vanderbilt led 13-0 entering the fourth quarter, but a 52-yard run by Kentucky tailback Arliss Beach led to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to Holt with 12:12 left.
Kentucky walk-on Dennis Johnson blocked a Vanderbilt punt with 5:35 left, giving the Wildcats possession at the Vanderbilt 20, but the Commodores stopped Kentucky on downs at the 10 with 4:29 left.
Vanderbilt couldn’t manage a first down and punted again, giving the Wildcats the ball at the Vanderbilt 36 with 2:44 left.
It took Kentucky four plays to score. Boyd, being rushed, lobbed the ball into the back of the end zone. Holt, who caught nine passes for 87 yards, outmaneuvered cornerback Dominique Morris for the ball.
Taylor Begley’s extra point gave the Wildcats the lead.
Vanderbilt reached the 50 on its subsequent possession, but an intentional grounding penalty on Jay Cutler cost the Commodores 15 yards. Three incompletions later, the Wildcats took over with 36 seconds left.
Vanderbilt had one final chance, from deep in its own territory with 5 seconds left, but Cutler’s long pass sailed incomplete. Cutler finished 16-of-32 for 202 yards.
No. 6 Texas 27, Kansas 23
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Vince Young scored on an 18-yard touchdown run with 4:11 left and threw a 22-yard TD pass to Tony Jeffrey with 11 seconds remaining to rally No. 6 Texas past Kansas 27-23 Saturday.
Kansas, a 22-point underdog, took a 23-13 lead with 7:41 left after a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brian Luke to Lyonel Anderson. But the Jayhawks (3-7, 1-6 Big 12) were denied their biggest victory in nearly a decade by the play of Young.
No. 21 Boston College 36, No. 13 West Virginia 17
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Paul Peterson threw two first-half touchdown passes and No. 21 Boston College returned two punts for scores to beat No. 13 West Virginia 36-17 Saturday.
Boston College (7-2, 3-1 Big East) won in Morgantown for the first time since 1990, bolstering its conference title hopes and a possible Bowl Championship Series berth.
West Virginia (8-2, 5-1) lost in November for the first time under fourth-year coach Rich Rodriguez. It also had 10-game conference and home winning streaks broken.
The Mountaineers squandered a chance to clinch their first BCS bid and a tie for a second straight conference title.