Kentucky grinds down Toledo, leans on run game for 24-16 win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- If you were looking for offensive fireworks, well, what’s wrong with you? Who told you to look for offensive fireworks?

Otherwise, Kentucky’s 24-16 victory over Toledo was exactly in line with the team’s blueprint for winning this season: run the ball, play solid defense, and make a few big plays.

A few things weren’t in the blueprint. Chiefly, the passing game has to contribute. There are only a few teams left on Kentucky’s schedule it can beat without help through the air.

Zach Calzada completed just 10 of 23 passes for 85 yards. And while there’s a lot to like about Kentucky’s running game — particularly Dante Dowdell — there won’t be much room to run if defenses don’t have to respect the pass.

Kentucky’s defense gave up 329 yards — but that’s more a credit to Toledo’s offense than a knock on the Wildcats. Still, UK had a chance to slam the door late, with the Rockets pinned at their own 5-yard line and just over four minutes to play. Instead, Toledo ripped off a 95-yard drive in two minutes to cut the margin to one score with under two minutes left.

Even as a season opener, this felt like a must-win game. And though the Wildcats showed some of the glitches that are nearly unavoidable when playing a slew of newcomers together for the first time, they settled down, leaned on their physical advantage, and did what they were supposed to do — eventually.

Calzada opened the scoring with a 1-yard sneak late in the first quarter, set up by a Nasir Bowers interception. A 45-yard Jacob Kauwe field goal stretched the lead before halftime, and Kentucky took a 10-2 lead into the break after surrendering a safety midway through the second.

“Just got to settle down,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said at halftime. “A bad decision by the quarterback (on the safety). Turnovers killed us. We got outflanked on a couple of third downs, but otherwise played well on defense.”

The third quarter was a punt parade — five consecutive possessions ended with kicks, and the two teams combined for just 92 yards.

Kentucky finally broke through early in the fourth. Seth McGowan capped a 12-play, 76-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to make it 17-2.

Toledo answered with its best series of the day, as quarterback Tucker Gleason led a 7-play, 69-yard march and scored on a 9-yard keeper with 9:38 left.

The Wildcats responded immediately. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Dowdell burst 79 yards up the middle for a touchdown that pushed the margin back to 15 and effectively iced the game.

Dowdell finished with 128 yards and a score on 12 carries. McGowan added 72 yards and a touchdown of his own. Calzada, while quiet through the air, chipped in 14 rushing yards and a score.

Toledo outgained Kentucky 270-85 through the air, but managed just 59 yards rushing. The Wildcats sacked Gleason three times and forced four three-and-outs.

It wasn’t flashy. But it was physical. And in a season opener built more for reps than results, Kentucky left Kroger Field with both — and a win.