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SEC 2000-10: The Best Game -- Arkansas 71, Kentucky 63 | 7 OT (2003)

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TUESDAY: What a Decade It's Been; Mike Price's Trip to Pensacola

WEDNESDAY: The Zook Experiment; Georgia Hires Mark Richt

No one expected much of a game when the Kentucky Wildcats met the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 1, 2003. Both teams were about .500, Arkansas at 4-3 and Kentucky at 4-4. UK's victories came against Murray State, Indiana, Ohio and Mississippi State -- in other words, their schedule was more difficult back then than it is now. Arkansas had lost three straight to Auburn, Florida and Ole Miss after winning its first four games. A dramatic win against Texas seemed like a long time ago as the Hogs traveled to Lexington.

It didn't look like much of a game at halftime, either. Arkansas had a 21-7 lead, with Kentucky's lone touchdown having come on a blocked punt. But Kentucky outscored Arkansas 17-3 in the second half to force overtime.

What followed made the contest one of the most exciting and exhausting games in college football.

Star-divide

What followed, specifically? Just 86 points in seven overtimes that pushed the game near the five-hour mark and kept Rich Brooks up far past his bedtime. (Even Houston Nutt probably needed a very small dose of caffeine to stay awake for the whole thing.)

Arkansas scored first in the first overtime; Kentucky responded. The Cats then scored to start the second extra period; Arkansas answered. Back and forth they went. When Arkansas settled for a field goal in the third overtime, Kentucky also had to kick for three points. In the fifth overtime, the Razorbacks failed to convert the required two-point coversion; so did Kentucky.

"We had ample opportunities to win the game," Rich Brooks said. No kidding.

Finally, late in the seventh overtime with Arkansas leading 71-63, Jared Lorenzen fumbled and Arkansas Tony Bua recovered the ball to end the game.

By then, the two teams had combined for 1,111 yards and 58 first downs on 202 offensive plays. DeCori Birmingham alone carried the ball 40 times for 196 yards and 2 TDs for Arkansas. Nine players had at least one passing, rushing or receiving touchdown.

The win sparked a monthlong winning streak for Arkansas that wouldn't end until a 55-24 loss to LSU on Nov. 28. (The other teams were a mediocre South Carolina, New Mexico State and Mississippi State.) A 27-14 win against Missouri in the Independence Bowl wrapped up a 9-4 season.

Kentucky lost its remaining three games against Vanderbilt, Georgia and Tennessee to finish the year 4-8. It was the first of three losing seasons for Brooks in Lexington before a resurgence that will include Kentucky's fourth bowl game later this month.

0 recs  |  Comment 4 comments |

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Saddest game ever, if the Bluegrass Miracle hadn't happened 51 weeks earlier

I was still in college when this game went down. I don’t remember much of regulation because I was hammered, and we were getting beat badly in the first quarter which led me to keep getting hammered during the game. But I was sober by the time the game was over. And it was painful to watch. Matt Jones pulling passes and runs from out of his ass. Jared Lorenzen trying to do the same thing with an extra 150 lbs. on his frame. Jared fumbled that last ball because he was almost too tired to walk by the end of that game. Like so many close Kentucky losses, it was epic, and it ended with me leaving Commonwealth hanging my head. Somebody had to win, and unfortunately it wasn’t us.

Anything but Gatorade - yet another SEC sports blog

by Anything but Gatorade on Dec 17, 2009 12:01 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Memories

The hefty lefty

"It ain't over till it's over." - Yogi Berra

by 49er16 on Dec 17, 2009 7:43 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Pilsbury Throw Boy

I played against him in high school……he was kind of a dick.

First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...

by btcoop71 on Dec 18, 2009 8:59 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

As a Razorback fan, not quite as gut wrenching as the Ole Miss game but definetly painful to watch. I miss those Arkansas teams sometimes. Not very talented but had a scrappiness to them.

Firefrankwren.com: It's gonna happen this offseason

by rocket8188 on Dec 19, 2009 4:18 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

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