LEXINGTON – This one hurt.
“It’s going to stick with us for a while,” Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan said following Kentucky’s disappointing 31-24 loss to Mississippi State Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium.
Kentucky’s Randall Cobb was disappointed in the loss and said the Cats didn’t come out with any emotion in a game designated as a must-win for the squad.
“This (was a big game) for us as far as the pecking order for the bowl games and for us not to come out and play with any emotion – this was a big night with Halloween, a lot of alumni in attendance, we had a blackout – I mean just so many things, and we didn’t play with any emotion. I don’t really know what to say right now.”
It was a game Kentucky needed and one that Mississippi State wanted equally as bad with both teams jockeying for playoff position. No matter how hard the loss hurt, the Wildcats have little time to dwell in doom and despair. Instead, the Cats have no choice but to keep on pressing and are looking ahead to next week’s contest against Eastern Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium.
 “We’re going to try and do a good job of getting over it as fast as we can,” Trevathan said. “We have tough games ahead of us and we have to go out and play – put everything on the line and execute. We need to stick together and work together.”
Kentucky could have made the bowl picture more clear with a win over Mississippi State Saturday night, but will have a harder road to hoe if the Wildcats want to keep their bowl streak alive. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Wildcats, who have one win in four tries against Southeastern Conference foes, must win two games to reach the postseason.
A big issue was Kentucky’s inability to stop Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon, who rushed for a school record 252 yards and two touchdowns.
“He’s definitely a tough back,” Kentucky lineman Corey Peters said. “He’s big and powerful, but shifty at the same time – he’s just tough. He did a great job and we didn’t.”
Peters added that Mississippi State “wanted it more” and rode with Dixon.
“They were definitely more physical and ran the ball down our throat,” he said.
Kentucky coach Rich Brooks added that his team failed to match his opponents’ intensity.
“I guess I didn’t get my message to the team,” he said. “We talked about how physical this game was going to be and they came in and took care of it and we didn’t.”

Photo: Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon rushed fir 252 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs' win over Kentucky Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium. Victoria Graff photo.