This year’s Governor’s Cup wasn’t much fun for Great Britain

Louisville’s defense throttled UK for most of Saturday’s game. (Vicky Graff photo)

A long season came to an end for Kentucky on Saturday.

The Wildcats capped their 4-8 season with a 41-14 loss to Louisville in the Governor’s Cup. The dismal result – six losses in the last seven games – was the team’s worst result since the 2013 season, when the Wildcats went 10-2 in his first year as coach.

After a 20-17 upset of No. 15 Ole Miss on Sept. 28, the downward trend began with four straight losses in the Southeastern Conference. Kentucky lost six of its last seven games. The only win was a 48-6 victory over Murray State two weeks ago.

The goal ended Kentucky’s unprecedented streak of eight consecutive postseason appearances. Louisville ended a five-game losing streak against the Wildcats.

“Give them credit,” Stoops said. “We’ve been on the right side (of the rivalry) for many years and we know what it feels like to be on the right side. We now know, for the first time in a long time, what it feels like to be on the wrong side. It’s not much fun.”

Stoops added that his 12th season was “not very good” but took responsibility for the team’s poor performance that year.

“We didn’t do a good job in any area,” Stoops said. “There is no way around it. We have failed in this area. We didn’t have the discipline we needed and we didn’t play as well as we needed to. There needs to be improvement and accountability at every level.”

Stoops and his staff called on freshman quarterback Cutter Boley to power the Wildcats’ offense in place of veteran Brock Vandagriff, who started the first 11 games.

The Lexington Christian product struggled in his first collegiate start, a week after throwing for 160 yards in a 31-14 loss to No. 3 Texas last week.

Boley’s first four throws were incomplete. In the first two quarters, he completed six passes on 15 attempts for 48 yards and two interceptions. Boley threw a 29-yard pass to Hardley Gilmore before halftime, but the promising drive ended with Boley’s second interception inside the red zone.

Boley left in the third quarter after being hit on a pass play and did not return. Louisville’s Thor Griffith was sent off for targeting on the play.

Gavin Wimsatt finished the drive with two completions, including a 34-yard strike to Ja’mori Maclin, who set up a 4-yard touchdown pass to Maclin with 9:22 left in the third quarter to prevent the shutout.

Wimsatt threw for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including an 83-yard touchdown pass to Maclin with 9:49 left. Maclin threw three passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Kentucky had three turnovers in the first half – a fumble and two interceptions – and managed just 107 yards and failed to convert a third down on seven attempts.

The Cats finished the game with five turnovers – three interceptions and two fumbles, including one in the third quarter that led to a 20-yard Cardinals touchdown.

“It just doesn’t work,” Stoops said of his team’s mistakes. “You can’t do that in any game, especially a rivalry game.”

Kentucky managed just 328 total yards, but failed to convert a third down on nine attempts and was 0-1 on fourth down.

“We need to get back to work and get back to who we are – a tough, disciplined and very fundamental (football team),” Stoops said. “We haven’t always been like this this year and I understand that and take responsibility. … We’re going to get it fixed and that excites me and motivates me.”