Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-11**Lead**
In a scene that felt eerily familiar to just one week ago, the Kentucky Wildcats delivered another heart-stopping overtime victory over the LSU Tigers on Saturday night, winning 38-36 on a walk-off two-point conversion. The play, a designed run by quarterback Devin Leary, sent the Kroger Field crowd into a frenzy and marked the second straight week that Kentucky has ended an LSU game with a two-point conversion in overtime. The victory improves Kentucky’s record to 5-1 and deals a significant blow to LSU’s SEC title hopes.
**Contexto**
The game was a back-and-forth thriller from the opening kickoff. LSU, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, came into Lexington with a high-powered offense that had averaged over 40 points per game. Kentucky’s defense, however, managed to force key stops, including a critical fourth-down stand in the fourth quarter. The Tigers tied the game at 30-30 with a field goal as time expired in regulation, sending the contest to overtime.
In the first overtime period, both teams traded touchdowns. LSU struck first with a 10-yard pass from Daniels to Malik Nabers. Kentucky answered with a touchdown run by Ray Davis, but the extra point was blocked, leaving the score 36-36. Under NCAA overtime rules, the second overtime period begins with a two-point conversion attempt for each team. LSU went first and failed to convert, with Kentucky’s defense stuffing a run up the middle. That gave Kentucky the chance to win with a successful two-point conversion of their own.
Head coach Mark Stoops called a timeout to set up the play. Leary took the snap, faked a handoff, and rolled to his right. With a defender closing in, he flipped a shovel pass to tight end Brenden Bates, who powered through a tackle and stretched the ball across the goal line. The officials reviewed the play and confirmed the score, igniting a wild celebration on the field.
This was not the first time Kentucky had beaten LSU in such fashion. Just last season, in Baton Rouge, the Wildcats won 24-22 on a two-point conversion in overtime after LSU had scored a touchdown to tie the game. That win was also sealed by a defensive stop on LSU’s two-point attempt, followed by Kentucky’s successful conversion. The back-to-back nature of these victories has created a unique rivalry moment, with Kentucky becoming the first team in SEC history to win consecutive games against LSU via walk-off two-point conversions in overtime.
**Analise**
The significance of this win extends beyond the immediate standings. Kentucky, often seen as a middle-tier program in the SEC East, has now established a pattern of clutch performance against a traditional powerhouse. The ability to execute under pressure in overtime—especially on two-point conversions—speaks to the culture Stoops has built in Lexington. The Wildcats have won five of their last six games decided by a single score, a statistic that underscores their resilience.
For LSU, the loss raises serious questions about their ability to finish close games. Head coach Brian Kelly, now in his second season, has seen his team lose three games in the past two years on the final play of overtime. The Tigers’ defense, which struggled to contain Kentucky’s rushing attack, allowed 210 yards on the ground. The inability to stop the two-point conversion in consecutive meetings with Kentucky will be a point of emphasis in film review.
From a broader perspective, this game highlights the increasing drama of college football overtime rules. The NCAA’s decision to mandate two-point conversion attempts starting in the second overtime has created more sudden-death scenarios. Kentucky has now mastered this format, while LSU has been on the wrong end twice. The trend could influence how teams prepare for overtime, with more emphasis on short-yardage and two-point play designs.
**Fontes**
This report is based on official game statistics from the University of Kentucky athletics department, post-game press conferences with head coaches Mark Stoops and Brian Kelly, and live coverage from the SEC Network. Additional context was drawn from historical records of SEC overtime games and the NCAA rulebook for football overtime procedures.