Minchey rallies Kentucky to 35-34 overtime win at South Carolina

Kenny Minchey threw a 6-yard TD pass to Henry Boyer and a 2-point conversion to Willie Rodriguez as No. 24 Kentucky rallied from 17-0 down to beat South Carolina 35-34 in overtime on Saturday.

The Wildcats (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) needed to fight back several times. Minchey’s 32-yard scoring pass to Nic Anderson late in the third quarter gave them their first lead, 24-20. And after South Carolina retook the lead in the fourth quarter on LaNorris Sellers’ 15-yard TD pass to DJ Black, Minchey led a 66-yard drive that ended with Adam Zouagui’s 29-yard tying field goal with 4:13 to play.

Sellers again retook the lead in overtime on a 5-yard throw to Maurice Brown II in the end zone. But after Minchey’s pass to Boyer, Kentucky didn’t hesitate and connected on the winning conversion pass to Rodriguez open in the back of the end zone.

Kentucky’s players exploded in celebration, spilling onto the field after a second major road win for first-year coach Will Stein, who’s team defeated then-ninth-ranked Texas A&M 31-21 at College Station two weeks ago.

Minchey, the Notre Dame transfer, threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns.

Sellers passed for 226 yards and two scores. He also ran for 147 yards, including a twisting 74-yard run that set up his TD throw to Black in the final quarter. But it wasn’t enough as the Gamecocks lost their eighth straight in SEC play.

The Wildcats have done several good things early in the season as Stein became the first first-year Kentucky coach to win a true road game at Texas A&M. This latest rally will only make things crazier for his program as he heads deeper into SEC play.

Kentucky returns home to play No. 11 LSU next Saturday night.


(AP Photo Artie Walker Jr.)