Kentucky Avoids Injuries for First Time This Season in Win Over NIU
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Kentucky's 31-23 win over Northern Illinois was anything but flattering, but you won't find anyone in Lexington complaining about being 4-0.
The only thing worth celebrating more than the win, however, is that the Wildcats finally escaped a game without suffering any major injuries.
In No. 7 Kentucky's first three games of the season, at least one player went down with an injury mid-game and did not return:
Week 1: RB Ramon Jefferson (torn ACL, out for season), RB JuTahn McClain (week-to-week, missed two games)
Week 2: FS Jalen Geiger (lower leg injury, likely out for season)
Week 3: OLB J.J. Weaver (left arm injury, week-to-week, missed one game so far)
Saturday night against NIU finally spelled better luck in Lexington, as it appears like the Cats played 60 minutes of football without someone taking major damage. Backup running back La'Vell Wright was down on the field for a couple of minutes in the second half, but eventually walked off under his own power.
Starting right guard Tashawn Manning didn't play last weekend against Youngstown State due to a potential foot injury, but played all four quarters against the Huskies. To go along with Jordan Wright and Chris Rodriguez missing time, the Cats have already dealt with their fair share of backups playing starting snaps.
We'll get a full injury update on Monday at Mark Stoops' game-week press conference, as Kentucky begins to prepare for the second road trip of the season, traveling down to Oxford to take on No. 14 Ole Miss on Oct. 1.
The Wildcats moved up one spot to No. 7 in the latest AP Top-25 Poll.
Mark Stoops had this to say after UK's 31-23 win over NIU.
Watch: Will Levis speaks to the media after Saturday's performance.
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