Kentucky barrels over Murray State

LEXINGTON, KY. — Terry Wilson threw for 163 yards and rushed for 80 more to lead Kentucky to a 48-10 win over Murray State on Saturday.

Coming off a 27-16 victory over Florida that ended a 31-game losing streak to the Gators, the Wildcats (3-0) showed no signs of a letdown and overwhelmed the Racers from start to finish.

Traditionally the Wildcats have struggled against FCS opponents and needed overtime to fend off Ohio Valley Conference member Eastern Kentucky in a 34-27 win in 2015. The task was much easier this time for Kentucky, which outscored the Racers 31-7 in the final two quarters.

Paced by Wilson, the Wildcats used a balanced offense to defeat the Racers, amassing 528 yards of offense, including 285 on the ground. Wilson targeted nine different receivers, mainly Lynn Bowden, who caught eight passes for 89 yards. Wilson and backup Gunnar Hoak threw for 240 yards and one touchdown.

Benny Snell collected 75 yards on 15 carries and added a score. In limited action in the second half, Snell had just four carries as A.J. Rose and Sihiem King collected a bulk of the carries in the second half.

In a surprise trick play, Snell completed a shovel pass to Wilson, who then handed the ball off to Zy’Aire Hughes for a 49-yard score to end the third quarter. Snell’s block downfield created a wide-open path to the end zone for Hughes in his first career touchdown.

Murray avoided the shutout on Gabrie Vicente’s 29-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Racers quarterback Drew Anderson competed 15-of-32 passes for 118 yards. Backup signal caller Preston Rice scored Murray’s lone TD with a 21-yard run with 30 seconds remaining.

The Wildcats won their first three games for the second-straight season and the third time in the past eight years. The next three conference games are crucial for the Wildcats, who will host Mississippi State and South Carolina respectively during the next two weeks, before a road contest at Texas A&M on Oct. 6.