LEXINGTON, Ky. – Out in the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot were plenty of ghosts and goblins and witches late Saturday afternoon. It was Halloween, after all, which meant the Kentucky-Tennessee game figured to have plenty of tricks and treats once the gray, damp sky turned dark.
And true to form, the underdog Wildcats delivered an early treat to their fans when defensive lineman Cory Johnson picked up a fumble by UT quarterback Joshua Dobbs and returned it 77 yards for an early 7-0 lead. But true to a series in which the Volunteers have won 30 of the last 31 meetings, Tennessee rolled to a 52-21 win.
But the fact that Kentucky was playing its ninth night game in nine contests has been anything but a treat for both fans of the Wildcats and their opponents, as well as school employees.
“The atmosphere’s great, but it’s a long night,” said UK fan David Johnson, a resident of the Louisville area. “It makes getting to church tough on Sunday morning.”
Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup thoroughbred racing event at nearby Keeneland made it tougher on everyone, including the thousands of Tennessee fans who make the trip every other year to the Bluegrass for the longtime rivalry, which reached its 111th game between the two on Saturday.