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Western Kentucky can feel good about a much stingier defense. On offense, the Hilltoppers are going to have to find a way to complement running back Bobby Rainey.
The HIlltoppers sacked Kentucky's Morgan Newton three times and picked off three passes, but they still lost their 16th straight home loss 14-3 to Wildcats on Thursday night. WKU was the home team in the game played at the NFL's Tennessee Titans' stadium.
Rainey ran for 105 yards, his sixth straight game with at least 100 yards rushing. But Kawaun Jakes was 9 of 27 for 93 yards with four interceptions and was sacked twice.
''We have to protect him,'' Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggart said of Jakes. ''He missed some throws, and he needed to settle down, but we had to do a better job of getting him in rhythm. If we do a better job protecting him, our passing game will be what it has to be.''
Still, this game can be considered a big improvement for a program that has won just four games since moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision and went 2-10 last year. Kentucky routed the Hilltoppers 63-28 last season, and this time, the Wildcats kept their starters in until the end to make sure of the victory.
''We're mad we lost, no one's happy we lost,'' Rainey said. ''With how close the game was, and the score doesn't show how close the game was, we know we can move the ball on them. Our defense played well, and when they get us the ball we have to take advantage of that.''
Western Kentucky held the ball for 34 minutes and outgained Kentucky 234-190 on offense. The Hilltoppers gave up an average of 380.2 yards per game last season.
''It's a win,'' Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said. ''We're excited to come away from here with a win ... It's a huge positive for us.''
Kentucky had six starters back, including four on the offensive line, from a team that reached a fifth straight bowl last season. It didn't help as the Wildcats' line got pushed around all night. Kentucky struggled to get its offense going early with Newton settling in at quarterback with the departure of Mike Hartline, though Phillips said the quarterback jammed the thumb on his left, non-throwing hand.
It was so bad Newton completed as many passes (seven) as Ryan Tydlacka punted. The Hilltoppers also sacked Newton three times, and the Kentucky quarterback had at least three passes dropped by receivers that spoiled chances at big plays.
''Did you see what I saw?'' Phillips said when asked about the receivers. ''I'm very disappointed.''
Receiver Gene McCaskill helped Newton get going, pulling in a 34-yard pass that almost doubled the offensive total at the end of the third quarter. It was McCaskill's first reception since the Music City Bowl on this field in 2009. McCaskill said the offensive struggles could be called disappointing.
''It's really a momentum builder game,'' McCaskill said. ''We're going into the Central Michigan game just trying to get better. These are the get-better games before we get into the SEC slate, we get Floridas and LSUs and all those games.'
Newton got going just in time, shaking off two interceptions in the fourth quarter, the last with 9:40 left and Kentucky driving. Newton's pass bounced off an official's left arm and Wildcats guard Stuart Hines before going to Western Kentucky defensive end Jared Clendenin.
Facing third-and-14 at the Kentucky 16, Newton ran up the middle for 58 yards in the game's longest play before being dragged down. He then found King wide open for a TD with 4:35 left.
The offenses struggled so much that the punters had the best plays most of the game. Tydlacka had a 59-yard punt for Kentucky that pinned the Hilltoppers deep, while Hendrix Brakefield had a 58-yarder for Western Kentucky.
But the Hilltoppers scored their only points on a 41-yard field goal by Casey Tinius after Vince Williams picked off Newton in the first quarter. The Hilltoppers had a chance to pad the lead, but Jakes repeatedly overthrew receivers, including Jake Doyle in the end zone. Then a low snap led Tinius to push a 34-yard attempt wide right. Guy got his second interception on the final play of the game as Jakes threw into the end zone.
