Halftime: Kentucky 21, LSU 17 — Baxter, Coffman Put Cats Ahead

Kentucky 21, LSU 17 at the half, and Kroger Field has plenty to be loud about (ESPN box score).

The scoring went back and forth. LSU opened with a 24-yard Starzyk field goal, and CJ Baxter answered with a 3-yard touchdown run. Sam Leavitt hit Z. Grace for a 22-yard score to make it 10-7 LSU after one. In the second, B. Coffman took a punt back 55 yards for a Kentucky touchdown, Leavitt found J. Harris from 10 yards out, and Kenny Minchey punched in a 1-yard run with three seconds left to send the Cats to the locker room ahead.

The numbers tell a split story. LSU has out-gained Kentucky 236 to 171, with 16 first downs to UK's 8, and held the ball 20:37 to 9:23. Leavitt is 14 of 18 for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Dilin Jones leads LSU with 39 rushing yards on 12 carries and four catches for 43.

But Kentucky is making its touches count. The Cats are averaging 8.7 yards per rush (131 on 15 carries), and Baxter has 122 yards on 12 carries, including a 77-yard run, plus the touchdown. Minchey is 6 of 9 for 40 yards, Nic Anderson has three catches for 29, and neither team has turned it over. Penalties: UK 1 for 5 yards, LSU 5 for 35.

Our take: the defense has to get off the field, because LSU is winning time of possession by more than 11 minutes. Keep feeding Baxter, keep it clean, and this one is there for the taking. Second half next. Go Cats.