Kentucky football jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Florida on Saturday. It should have been 7-0.
The Wildcats were forced to kick a field goal from the Gators seven-yard-line after three failed attempts to score. Their third attempt was gut-wrenching.
It was an all-time terrible college football drop.
Kentucky had 1st-and-goal at the six. A handoff on first down went for a loss of one.
A swing pass to the running back fell incomplete on second down to set up 3rd-and-goal from the seven.
Quarterback Devin Leary took the snap and dropped back with just over seven minutes left in the first quarter. He immediately looked to his right and nowhere else.
There was only one read. Leary had his guy.
The transfer quarterback cocked back and fired a high-arching pass to the end zone. On the other end, wide receiver Barion Brown was streaking across the middle. There was no one within arm’s reach.
A clear miscommunication on the Florida defense left Brown wide open. He could not have been any more open.
All Leary had to do was lob it in. The Gators defensive backs did not even have a chance to close the gap before the ball got to the receiver.
And yet, the pass fell incomplete.
Brown caught the ball over his shoulder and got both feet down for six points.
Until he didn’t.
The 6-foot-1 sophomore bobbled the ball as he came to a stop. Brown ultimately lost possession all together and an easy touchdown became a drop. His diving effort could not salvage the mistake.
Brutal. Brown has been awesome thus far into 2023, but his drop on Saturday is one that he will never live down.
You just know that his group chat with the boys was POPPING. Brown will have more than a few texts to answer after the game. Hopefully the four-point swing doesn’t prove to be the difference!