LSU gets improbable win over Kentcuky

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Posted 8:21AM on Sunday, November 10, 2002

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - Devery Henderson caught a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Randall as time expired Saturday to lift No. 16 LSU past a stunned Kentucky 33-30. The Wildcats (6-4, 2-4 SEC) appeared on their way to their first win over a ranked SEC opponent since 1999 after Taylor Begley's 29-yard field goal with 11 seconds left put Kentucky up 30-27. Hundreds of blue-clad fans crowded the sidelines and were poised to charge onto the field as the Tigers (7-2, 4-1) took over at their own 13-yard line. Before the final play, the Wildcats doused coach Guy Morriss with a cooler of Gatorade. With 2 seconds left, Randall took the snap, avoided the rush to his right, and heaved a desperation pass down the field. As the ball sailed through the air, fireworks exploded out of the Kentucky scoreboard and Wildcat fans attacked the goal post at the west end zone. At the other end, Kentucky linebacker Morris Lane tipped the ball and Henderson caught it inside the 20. Cornerback Derrick Tatum missed a diving tackle and Henderson reached the end zone as Kentucky fans continued to pull on the goal post at the other end, oblivious to the miraculous outcome. The jubilant Tigers raced to mob Henderson, who caught three TD passes from Randall in the game. Kentucky fans slowly realized what happened. Many sat at midfield as a small contingent of LSU fans celebrated. Kentucky lost for the 13th straight time to a ranked league opponent. Jared Lorenzen threw three touchdown passes to Aaron Boone, and SEC leading rusher Artose Pinner had 143 yards on 27 carries, his seventh 100-yard game of the season. Lorenzen led a 98-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter, the longest scoring drive of the season against LSU, the nation's top-ranked defense. LSU appeared like it would punt early in the second quarter, facing a third-and-9 from its 30. Randall took the snap and shovel-passed to Henderson, who was heading in the other direction. Henderson turned upfield and outran the Kentucky defense to tie the game at 7. Randall found his rhythm in the closing minutes of the first half, going 7-of-13 for 157 yards with two TD passes. The Tigers had not scored an offensive touchdown in the first half in three games. It didn't take long for them to strike again. On LSU's first offensive play of the second half, Joseph Addai swept left and sprinted untouched for a 63-yard touchdown against the SEC's worst rushing defense for a 21-7 lead. After Kentucky cornerback Deion Holts blocked a punt, Lorenzen threw a 3-yard TD pass to Chase Harp with 3:43 left in the third quarter. John Corbello tied a career-best with a 49-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give LSU a 24-14 lead. Lorenzen connected with Boone again for a 25-yard touchdown play with 10:05 remaining. Junior Derek Abney misplayed a punt in the fourth quarter, apparently losing the ball in the sun. It bounced off his knee and Adrian Mayes recovered. Corbello kicked a 19-yard field goal with 6:02 left to give LSU a 27-20 lead. Four minutes later, Lorenzen hit Boone to tie the game at 27-27.