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Woodson, red-hot Kentucky rally for win over Arkansas

Sep 23, 2007 - 6:21 AM FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas (Ticker) -- Andre' Woodson made another case for himself as a Heisman Trophy candidate while Kentucky made another statement.

Woodson threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead the 21st-ranked Wildcats to a 42-29 triumph over Arkansas in a Southeastern Conference shootout Saturday.

It was the second straight impressive win for the Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 SEC East), who are off to their first 4-0 start since 2002. Kentucky entered the national rankings for the first time since 1984 thanks to last week's thrilling 40-34 victory over then-No. 9 Louisville.

"Our team managed to win on the road against a good team and at a tough place to play," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. "We beat the defending west champions on the road."

Woodson was the hero of that contest, throwing a game-winning 57-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds remaining to lift the Wildcats to their first win over a top-10 team since 1977.

Woodson was not as brilliant in this one, but he entered his name in the NCAA record books in the second quarter. The senior attempted his 272nd consecutive pass without an interception, breaking Ty Detmer's all-time mark.

But that was not the high point of the contest for Woodson, who connected on a 32-yard TD pass to Keenan Burton late in the fourth quarter to give Kentucky the lead for good.

"It was frustrating," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "We knew we had the game won, but just could not finish. Credit Kentucky, they knew what our weaknesses were and they exploited them."

Woodson also added a one-yard scoring run in the final minute to seal the win for the Wildcats, who scored the final 21 points of the game. The 6-5 signal-caller finished 20-of-38 for 270 yards.

Trailing, 21-20, Arkansas (1-2, 0-2 West) took its first lead of the second half when defensive tackle Patrick Jones sacked Woodson in the end zone with 11:51 remaining.

Felix Jones made it 29-21 just 11 seconds later when he returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.

But Kentucky fought back thanks to running back Derrick Locke, who capped an 11-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run.

"It felt good to get my number called," Locke said. "I really wanted to play so I went out there at 110%. When (Coach Brooks) called my name I thought 'yes, this is my time'."

The Wildcats initially came up empty on the drive when Lones Seiber missed a 38-yard field goal. But Arkansas freshman Ryan Powers was whistled for roughing the kicker, giving Kentucky another chance.

The true freshman also carried four times for 31 yards on the Wildcats' next drive to set the stage for Woodson, who hooked up with Burton for the go-ahead score with 4:02 left. Woodson found Burton again on the ensuing two-point conversion to give Kentucky a 35-29 lead.

"We've got to hang in there," Nutt said. "(Our players) are going to hear a lot of negativity. I told them to blame me. I've been (in this situation) before, and all we can do is keep fighting, keep working. There's a lot of football left, and that's all that matters."