Northwestern Wildcats vs Kentucky Wildcats Match Player Stats On Dec 29, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 29, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In a Music City Bowl more notable for controversial ejections and key injuries, Northwestern survived its losses better than Kentucky.

Playing without its quarterback and best defensive player in the second half, No. 21 Northwestern used a key interception return touchdown by cornerback Kyle Queiro on Friday to earn a 24-23 win in a battle of Wildcats at Nissan Stadium.

Queiro nabbed a Stephen Johnson pass near the right sideline, tippy-toed to stay inbounds and raced 26 yards for the clinching score with 7:49 left in the game. Northwestern (10-3) finished the season with an eight-game winning streak.

Kentucky (7-6) got within a score when Austin MacGinnis toed a 48-yard field goal with 4:24 left. It came within an extra point of tying when Johnson scrambled nine yards for a touchdown with 37 seconds remaining.

But coach Mark Stoops went for two points and the win. Johnson's pass to Tavin Richardson in the end zone was knocked away by Marcus McShepard. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Montre Hartage at the 25-yard line to seal the outcome.

Kentucky scored just over two minutes into the game, Benny Snell punching it in from the 3 to finish a 67-yard drive that featured completions of 26 and 37 yards from Johnson to Richardson.

Northwestern pulled within 7-3 on a 33-yard field goal by Charlie Kuhbander with 3:14 left in the first quarter, setting the stage for a bizarre second quarter.

Justin Jackson's 5-yard touchdown run gave Northwestern a 10-7 lead 53 seconds into the period. It came a play after quarterback Clayton Thorson caught a 24-yard pass from running back Jeremy Larkin, but was carted off the field after it with a knee injury that knocked him out for the day's remainder.

Snell took himself out of the game a couple of minutes later. After suffering a 7-yard loss, Snell was ejected by Pac-12 referee Chris Coyne for contacting him. Snell appeared to gently push Coyne as he got up, leaving the Kentucky offense without the man who rushed for 1,333 yards and 19 touchdowns this year.

After Jackson scored on a 2-yard run with 5:12 left in the half to make it 17-7, it was Northwestern's turn to lose a star player to ejection. Freshman linebacker Paddy Fisher was tossed for targeting after game officials didn't flag his hit, in which he appeared to lead with his helmet and strike Sihiem King in the chest, in the last minute of the half.

Johnson, who finished 19 of 36 for 257 yards with two interceptions, brought Kentucky within 17-14 in the third quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run.

NOTES: Attendance for the game was 48,675, just over 20,000 shy of a sellout, on a 40-degree day. ... After suffering a game-ending knee injury early in the second quarter, Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson made it back to the sideline for the third quarter with crutches. ... Despite their first-half ejections, Kentucky RB Benny Snell and Northwestern LB Paddy Fisher will be eligible to play in their teams' season openers in 2018.