Kentucky vs. Ohio: A Decade-Long Rivalry with Unpredictable Outcomes

Interestingly, the last time Ohio faced Kentucky before their 2014 matchup was exactly ten years prior, on October 2, 2004, when Ohio defeated Kentucky 28-16. Perhaps the decade-long gap between games was due to the outcome of that 2004 game, which itself followed a previous matchup just a year earlier, on October 18, 2003.

In the 2004 loss, Kentucky’s starting quarterback was Shane Boyd, who completed 12 of 25 passes for 118 yards and threw two interceptions. In contrast, Jared Lorenzen had been the starting QB in the 2003 game, but Boyd played a crucial role in that victory, accounting for two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, and even catching a touchdown pass, as noted in Ohio’s game recap.

While reminiscing on past games is fun, the point here is to highlight that Ohio isn’t a team Kentucky dominates every time they face off. There have been instances where Kentucky underestimated or was underprepared for the Bobcats. You might think Kentucky’s football program was weaker in those days, but even then, Ohio proved to be a tough opponent. As for the 2014 game, Kentucky handled Ohio, but questions remained: were they the team that struggled against South Carolina, or the one that nearly held its own against Georgia? To succeed against Ohio, Kentucky needed to play like the latter.