Levis helps No. 9 Kentucky shut out Youngstown State 31-0

Published Sep. 17, 2022 3:25 p.m. ET

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Will Levis accounted for three touchdowns, Kavosiey Smoke ran for a score and No. 9 Kentucky shook off a slow start to shut out Youngstown State 31-0 on Saturday.

Boosted by its first top-10 ranking since October 2007, the Wildcats (3-0) followed up last week's Southeastern Conference win at Florida by physically dominating the FCS Penguins (2-1) in the inaugural meeting.

Kentucky outgained YSU 480-192 on the way to its first shutout since beating Miami (Ohio) 42-0 on Sept. 5, 2009. The Wildcats gave coach Mark Stoops a victory over his hometown school.

Levis posted his second 300-yard effort in three games, completing 27 of 35 attempts for 377 with sparkling catches by his receivers. He hit Dane Key and Chris Lewis with TD passes of 3 and 2 yards, respectively, and rushed for a 1-yard TD early in the second quarter. That run jump-started the Wildcats after a scoreless opening period in which promising drives stalled and Youngstown's Troy Jakubec intercepted Levis at the 3.

Tayvion Robinson's 15-yard catch-and-run across the middle and attempted hurdle over a defender helped set up Levis' TD on third down. Kentucky scored on four of its next five possessions, a stretch split up by a fumble on a day it committed three turnovers with two interceptions by Levis.

Key caught six passes for 90 yards, while Smoke rushed 18 times for 66 yards including a 7-yard TD.

Youngstown State seemed poised to break the shutout with Demeatric Crenshaw's 64-yard pass to Jaleel McLaughlin to the Kentucky 5. That quest ended two plays later when Carrington Valentine tipped Crenshaw's end-zone pass intended for ex-Kentucky player Bryce Oliver and came down with the football.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Kentucky's top-10 status remains safe.

THE TAKEAWAY

Youngstown State: The Penguins weren't bowed by the Wildcats as they sacked Levis four times and held them to a fourth-quarter field goal after they got inside the 5. But they crossed into Kentucky territory just three times with Crenshaw's interception quashing their best scoring chance.

Kentucky: Pass protection remains a concern after yielding more sacks and allowing the Penguins to record 10 tackles for loss. But the Wildcats regrouped quickly enough to score almost at will in the middle two quarters for a cushion they didn't relinquish. Valentine came up big as well for their fierce defense, breaking a up fourth-down pass in third quarter before his interception preserved the shutout.

UP NEXT

Youngstown State visits North Dakota State on Oct. 1 to open Missouri Valley Conference play.

Kentucky hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday night before resuming SEC play.

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Youngstown State Penguins

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Bryce Oliver