Cats Fall to South Carolina 28-26

Saturday's loss to South Carolina was painful. When the 2009 football schedule was released I circled this game as the key to our season. If we defeat the Gamecocks we likely reach the 7-8 win regular season plateau and fight with UT to finish third in the SEC East. To compound the misery caused by a 10th straight defeat at the hands of the Gamecocks, Mike Hartline is LIKELY OUT for the season after playing a career best first half against the Gamecocks. Hartline's MRI results will be released Monday and we will know for certain the extent of the knee injury that was sustained early in the third quarter. While Hartline is out true freshman Morgan Newton and seldom used backup Will Fidler will compete for the starting quarterback position. Saturday's game hurt for a number of reasons, but I have identified 11 plays that pretty much sum up why we lost.

1) Dropped touchdown pass by Randall Cobb forced UK to settle for a Seiber field goal (UK 3 USC 0)

2) 61-yard kickoff return by Chris Colliver sets up USC's first touchdown (UK 3 USC 7)

3) 49-yard kickoff return by Chris Colliver sets up USC's second touchdown (UK 10 USC 14)

4) Hartline injured by Darian Stewart on a play that should've been blown dead by the officials for delay of game (UK 17 USC 10)

5) On 4th and 6 from the USC 14 yard line UK fails to convert a fake field goal attempt and sacrifices 3 points and a chance to pull within 1 point (UK 17 USC 21)

6) On 3rd and 12 from the USC 17 UK tight end TC Drake dropped a touchdown pass that would of put UK ahead by 4 points, instead UK had to settle for a Seiber field goal (UK 20 USC 21)

7) Early in the fourth quarter with UK trailing by 1 a big reverse run by Randall Cobb that put the Cats in scoring position was nullified by a holding penalty on Jorge Gonzalez
8) On the same possession Fidler connected with Cobb on 4th and 1 but UK coaches had called timeout right before the snap nullifying the play
9) Following the timeout, Derrick Locke rushes for the first down on 4th and 1 but the play is called back on a phantom snap infraction penalty on our center
10) Following snap infraction penalty, UK punter Ryan Tydlacka kicks a 5 yard punt setting up a USC touchdown (UK 20 USC 28)
11) Following an amazing possession that showcased Randall Cobb running for 64 yards on 6 plays before rushing for a touchdown, UK coaches put the game in the hands of inexperienced Will Fidler for the two point conversion attempt who proceeds to throw an incomplete pass that never had a chance of being caught (UK 26 USC 28)

If any of these 11 plays don't happen I may not be writing this.