There’s one thing you probably shouldn’t forget when interviewing a head coach: his team’s ranking. ESPN’s Tori Petry learned that the hard way during the Oklahoma Sooners’ clash with Kentucky, as Will Stein stepped in to remind her exactly where his team stands.
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After Kentucky stunned Oklahoma 21-13, sideline reporter Tori Petry rushed over to head coach Will Stein for a postgame interview. What should have been a moment of celebration quickly took an awkward turn when Petry asked, “On the road, winning against a ranked team here, what does this do for the Kentucky program ?”
A visibly confused Will Stein needed a moment to process the reporter’s question before setting the record straight: it was Kentucky, not Oklahoma, that entered the clash as the ranked team.
“I think we’re ranked. We are #15. I don’t know if they were ranked; maybe they were. The rankings don’t matter. This is the SEC. Every Saturday matters, every play matters,” said the head coach.
Ranked or unranked, the victory meant everything to Will Stein and Kentucky. The Oklahoma Sooners may have struggled this season, but they entered the campaign ranked No. 10 in the preseason, making this a statement win for the Wildcats. Moreover, the Sooners were coming off a win over the No. 1 Texas.
However, Kentucky had its work cut out in the first half, trailing 13-7 in the third quarter and desperately needing a moment to swing the momentum. That breakthrough arrived when an interception set up a touchdown drive, putting the Wildcats ahead 14-13.
Kentucky then delivered the decisive blow in the final minutes with a pick-six to extend its lead to 21-13, before a third interception sealed the victory and sent Oklahoma crashing to defeat.
“Play harder for guys you love and actually have respect for. So that’s one thing that shows a lot with our team is they’re playing for each other. And then toughness, like, toughness wins in football –college football and the SEC,” said Stein.
“You’ve gotta be mentally and physically tough. When we watch our tape, our guys fight. They fly around, they hit. They strain on the perimeter, they block up front, we run the ball. Those are, I think, two of the biggest DNA traits of our team is our connection and toughness,” he further added.
Kentucky might have had to grind its way to victory, but the offense delivered when it mattered. Kenny Minchey ensured the Wildcats avoided costly mistakes, completing 21 of 28 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception.
With that performance, Minchey extended his interception-free streak to 160 consecutive pass attempts, the second-longest in Kentucky Wildcats history.
Both of Minchey’s touchdown passes went to Willie Rodriguez, giving the receiver a starring role in the Wildcats’ offensive effort. Meanwhile, Kenny Darby and Nic Anderson also contributed, hauling in five receptions.
CJ Baxter was unavailable after being listed as a game-time decision. Even without him, Kentucky found a way to get the job done.
It was an all-around effort from the team to clinch the victory, and Will Stein will certainly be pleased with what the Wildcats have accomplished so far this season.
Kentucky is now 6-1 overall and 4-1 in SEC play after a gritty win over Oklahoma. That marks a significant improvement from last season, when the Wildcats finished 5-7 overall and 2-6 in conference play.