Watch: Kentucky football scores on one fumble return but the Cats should have had two

Kentucky football was in need of a spark in its 2023 season opener against Ball State.

The Cardinals led 7-3 after the first quarter, and even once UK took the lead back in the second quarter, things felt far from comfortable inside Kroger Field.

Enter senior defensive back Jalen Geiger.

Playing in his first game since suffering a knee injury last year, Geiger stepped up in a big way for the Cats, scooping up a fumble forced by teammate Alex Afari and returning it 69 yards for a touchdown.

The score marked UK’s first fumble return touchdown since Jordan Wright recorded one in the 2019 Belk Bowl win over Virginia Tech.

It’s also the second career touchdown for Geiger, who recorded a pick-six against Vanderbilt during the 2021 season.

Additionally, Geiger’s play was the first touchdown scored by Kentucky’s defense since Keidron Smith had a pick-six at Florida last season.

It also should have been the first of two fumble return scores for the UK defense on the day.

Later in the second quarter, sophomore defensive back Maxwell Hairston forced a fumble while making a tackle on a Ball State wideout that would have been returned for a score by sophomore defensive back Jordan Lovett.

But officials blew the play dead initially, saying the Ball State receiver was down by contact and no fumble had occurred.

Replay review overturned that ruling and UK got the football, but the touchdown was wiped off the board and the Wildcats’ offense had to go to work from the Ball State 31-yard line.

The Cats had to settle for a 46-yard field goal on that ensuing drive instead from senior transfer kicker Alex Raynor.

The last time UK has two defensive touchdowns in the same game?

A pair of interception return scores from Kelvin Joseph and Jamin Davis at Tennessee in October 2020.

Kentucky defensive back Jalen Geiger (4) celebrates with JQ Hardaway (6) after Geiger recovered a second quarter fumble and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown against Ball State on Saturday.
Kentucky defensive back Jalen Geiger (4) celebrates with JQ Hardaway (6) after Geiger recovered a second quarter fumble and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown against Ball State on Saturday.

Trevin Wallace, defense lead Kentucky football to win over Ball State in opener

Five things you need to know from Kentucky’s 44-14 season-opening win over Ball State

Final statistics from Kentucky football’s 44-14 win over Ball State

Kentucky football loses captain Kenneth Horsey to injury in 2023 opener

Watch: Kentucky football star Barion Brown shows speed with another kick return touchdown

Watch: Transfer QB Devin Leary throws his first touchdown pass as a Kentucky Wildcat

First Scouting Report: Against EKU, can UK football overcome a bevy of ex-Cats?

Kentucky football fans wanted alcohol. Now they have it. Here’s how opening day went.

‘They’ve raised our level of play.’ UK targets Jerod and Jacob Smith lift Corbin defense.