A shortened shut-out: Kentucky football beats Southern Miss, 31-0

LEXINGTON, Ky. — On a night where lightning delayed kickoff for more than two hours and suspended play for good just before midnight, it was Kentucky that ultimately rained on the Southern Miss parade. The Wildcats earned a 31-0 opening-weekend victory inside Kroger Field Saturday night. Well, Sunday morning. Technically.

The final lightning delay of the game came with 9:56 left in the third quarter. Play did not resume.

"By mutual agreement of the participating institutions as permitted by NCAA rules, tonight’s game between Kentucky and Southern Mississippi has been terminated and is considered a complete game with a final score of 31-0 in favor of Kentucky," according to UK Athletics. "All statistics in the game are considered final and complete."

Kentucky's new-look offense finished the shortened, overnight affair with 317 total yards: 169 in the air and 148 on the ground for UK's first-year offensive coordinator, Bush Hamdan and first-time starting quarterback, Brock Vandagriff.

Kickoff finally rolled around at 10:05 p.m., but both offenses needed a bit more time to settle into a rhythm.

In Kentucky's case, the Cats needed an assist by the defense to put points on the board first.

Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff was leading his offense down the field in the first quarter, when the Golden Eagles turned a tipped ball into an interception. Southern Miss took over possession on their own 15-yard line. Visiting quarterback Tate Rodemaker completed his next pass - a deep ball, good for a gain of 29 yards - before UK's defense was ready to return the favor.

Rodemaker's following pass - this time, over the middle - was picked off by Kentucky's other Georgia transfer: senior inside linebacker, Jamon Dumas-Johnson.

The Cats scored on the following drive, thanks to 10 plays, 59 yards, and a 12-yard touchdown reception by Barion Brown. Kentucky led 7-0 after the first quarter.

Southern Miss looked to strike back at the end of the first and into the second quarter, but the Kentucky defense came up in a big-time moment, again. The Golden Eagles were charging down the field before D'Eryk Jackson tipped it and JQ Hardaway came down with it for the touch back.

Kentucky's next score was limited to three points, rather than six - a 41-yard field goal by returning kicker, Alex Raynor - while the defense continued to hold Southern Miss scoreless.

Demie Sumo-Karngbaye punched in UK's first touchdown of the second quarter; the senior finished the night with eight carries for 59 yards. Freshman running back Jason Patterson impressed in the shortened game, as well, with back-to-back double-digit yard runs: one for 12 yards and again on the following play for 11 more.

Barion Brown added another touchdown just before halftime, while Jordan Dingle scored the game's only points after the break with a five-yard reception into the end zone.

Transdfer Ja'Mori Maclin finished the night as Kentucky's leading receiver, with two catches for 66 yards, while junior Dane Key added 60 more - the longest of which went 35 yards.

Zion Childress paced the defense with four tackles; Alex Afari added two tackles for loss, while JJ Weaver and Tre'Vonn Rybka each recorded one sack apiece.

Kentucky will return to Kroger Field next Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff against South Carolina.

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