UK’s football stadium turns 50. The 10 most memorable games at what is now Kroger Field.

John Clay
·4 min read

For those of us who remember old Stoll Field across from Memorial Coliseum, Kentucky’s first game at the long-awaited and newly constructed Commonwealth Stadium on Sept. 15, 1973, was a momentous occasion.

Friday marks the 50th anniversary of that Saturday, which resulted in UK’s 31-26 victory over Virginia Tech in what was Fran Curci’s first game as the Wildcats’ head coach.

Much has happened since then. Some good. Much of it not quite as good. To mark the anniversary, and kick off a week of memories in the Herald-Leader and on Kentucky.com, here’s my list of the 10 most memorable games at what is now known as Kroger Field.

1. Kentucky 40, Alabama 34 (OT)

Oct. 4, 1997: In Hal Mumme’s first season as head coach, the Wildcats beat the Crimson Tide for the first time since 1922. Tim Couch hit Craig Yeast with a 26-yard touchdown pass in overtime as UK took down No. 1-ranked Bama. And the fans rushed the field.

UK’s Craig Yeast (3) crosses the goal line, scoring the game winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in Commonwealth Stadium Sat Oct 4, 1997.
UK’s Craig Yeast (3) crosses the goal line, scoring the game winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in Commonwealth Stadium Sat Oct 4, 1997.
University of Kentucky employees install one of the two new goal posts at Commonwealth Stadium in the days after the Wildcats upset Alabama in 1997. The two new posts replaced the ones fans destroyed storming the field in celebration.
University of Kentucky employees install one of the two new goal posts at Commonwealth Stadium in the days after the Wildcats upset Alabama in 1997. The two new posts replaced the ones fans destroyed storming the field in celebration.

2. Kentucky 43, LSU 37 (3OT)

Oct. 13, 2007: Rich Brooks’ team became the first UK edition to defeat a No. 1-ranked team since 1964 as the Cats toppled Les Miles’ Tigers in three overtimes. Linebacker Braxton Kelly tackled LSU’s Charles Scott short of a first down on a fourth-and-2 in the third overtime to secure the victory. LSU went on to win the national championship.

Kentucky fans celebrate on the field after the Wildcats defeated No. 1 LSU in 2007. A crowd of 70,902 witnessed the historic upset.
Kentucky fans celebrate on the field after the Wildcats defeated No. 1 LSU in 2007. A crowd of 70,902 witnessed the historic upset.

3. Kentucky 10, Tennessee 7

Nov. 26, 2011: The Matt Roark game. With his quarterbacks unavailable because of injuries, head coach Joker Phillips moved Roark from wide receiver to under center. The unlikely hero ran for 124 yards on 24 carries as the Cats beat the Volunteers for the first time since 1984.

Wide receiver Matt Roark was forced to start at quarterback after injuries to Morgan Newton and Maxwell Smith and engineered a Kentucky win for Coach Joker Phillips that ended the Wildcats’ 26-game losing streak to the Volunteers.
Wide receiver Matt Roark was forced to start at quarterback after injuries to Morgan Newton and Maxwell Smith and engineered a Kentucky win for Coach Joker Phillips that ended the Wildcats’ 26-game losing streak to the Volunteers.

4. Kentucky 41, Florida 24

Nov. 16, 1974: Down 17-6 early, Kentucky roared back to knock off the ninth-ranked Gators and clinch the program’s first winning season since 1965.

5. Kentucky 40, Louisville 34

Sept. 15, 2007: Kentucky had dropped four straight and seven of its last eight against its in-state rival before Andre Woodson found Stevie Johnson for a 57-yard touchdown — “Stevie got loose” — with 28 seconds left to beat the ninth-ranked Cardinals. It was Rich Brooks’ first victory over U of L and ignited a four-game win streak over the Cards.

Kentucky’s Steve Johnson scores the winning touchdown on a catch from Andre Woodson with 28 seconds left against archrival Louisville in 2007.
Kentucky’s Steve Johnson scores the winning touchdown on a catch from Andre Woodson with 28 seconds left against archrival Louisville in 2007.

6. LSU 33, Kentucky 30

Nov. 9, 2002: Sorry to throw in a loss but every Commonwealth Stadium Memories list has to include what LSU nicknamed the “Bluegrass Miracle.” Kentucky players had dumped Gatorade on head coach Guy Morriss before watching in horror as LSU’s Devery Henderson caught a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marcus Randle to give Nick Saban and the Tigers the unlikely victory.

LSU’s “Bluegrass Miracle” victory over Kentucky caught a Commonwealth Stadium crowd of 66,262 by surprise and even flummoxed the producers of the TV broadcast by Jefferson-Pilot. The “final score” showed a Kentucky victory even as LSU’s Devery Henderson was crossing the goal line with the winning touchdown for the Tigers.
LSU’s “Bluegrass Miracle” victory over Kentucky caught a Commonwealth Stadium crowd of 66,262 by surprise and even flummoxed the producers of the TV broadcast by Jefferson-Pilot. The “final score” showed a Kentucky victory even as LSU’s Devery Henderson was crossing the goal line with the winning touchdown for the Tigers.
Chaos reigned on the Commonwealth Stadium turf after LSU’s “Bluegrass Miracle” victory over Kentucky in 2002. Many Kentucky fans stormed the field after what they believed was a UK upset of 16th-ranked LSU. In this memorable photo, LSU student Joey Herzog (cow costume) figured out his team was the victor just as he was bowled over by a UK fan on the field. Kentucky cornerback Leonard Burress calmly squatted and took in his surroundings in disbelief.

7. Kentucky 21, Tennessee 17

Nov. 19, 1977: Despite being unable to throw the football because of injury, quarterback Derrick Ramsey led the Cats to the go-ahead score, then an Art Still hit and Kelly Kirchbaum fumble recovery sealed the victory as the Wildcats’ capped a 10-1 season.

Art Still is greeted by the Wildcat mascot as he takes the field for the final time for Kentucky ahead of UK’s win over Tennessee in 1977.
Art Still is greeted by the Wildcat mascot as he takes the field for the final time for Kentucky ahead of UK’s win over Tennessee in 1977.

8. Florida 24, Kentucky 20

Sept. 11, 1993: Kentucky intercepted seven Florida passes but Gators coach Steve Spurrier had the last laugh when future Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel hit walk-on Chris Doering with a 29-yard touchdown pass with three seconds left to pull out the victory. It was the fourth of 17 straight victories by Spurrier over the Cats.

Backup quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who had thrown three of Florida’s seven interceptions on the night, brought the upset-minded Cats crashing back to Earth on the game’s final play from scrimmage, hitting wide-open Chris Doering (28) for the game-winning touchdown.
Backup quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who had thrown three of Florida’s seven interceptions on the night, brought the upset-minded Cats crashing back to Earth on the game’s final play from scrimmage, hitting wide-open Chris Doering (28) for the game-winning touchdown.

9. Kentucky 31, South Carolina 28

Oct. 16, 2010: Spurrier’s win streak came to an abrupt end when UK upset the 10th-ranked Gamecocks. Down 28-10 at the half, Joker Phillips’ team roared back with Randall Cobb catching a 28-yard touchdown pass from Mike Hartline with 1:15 remaining for the winning score.

Steve Spurrier walked off the field as Kentucky stormed it after the Wildcats beat South Carolina in 2010. It was UK’s first win over Spurrier in 18 tries.
Steve Spurrier walked off the field as Kentucky stormed it after the Wildcats beat South Carolina in 2010. It was UK’s first win over Spurrier in 18 tries.

10. Kentucky 20, Florida 13

Oct. 2, 2021: Mark Stoops’ Cats beat Florida 27-16 in Gainesville in 2018 to snap a 31-game losing streak to the Gators. Still, Kentucky hadn’t beaten Florida in Lexington since 1986 until a stout UK defense held the Gators to just a field goal in the second half on the way to the victory over Dan Mullen’s 10th-ranked club.

Kentucky fans took to the field in celebration after the Wildcats posted their first home win over Florida since 1986.
Kentucky fans took to the field in celebration after the Wildcats posted their first home win over Florida since 1986.

Honorable mention

▪ Arkansas 71, Kentucky 63 on Nov. 1, 2003: The Razorbacks won an exhausting seven-overtime thriller.

▪ Kentucky 20, Louisville 14 on Sept. 3, 1994: The first Governor’s Cup game.

▪ Kentucky 21, Tennessee 10 on Nov. 21, 1981: Fran Curci won his final game as UK coach on a bitterly cold day.

▪ Kentucky 38, Louisville 24 on Aug. 30, 1997: Hal Mumme unveils his Air Raid offense at UK.

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