Heisman-esqe QB Leads Kentucky

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 5, 1998 / 10:31 PM EDT / CBS Sportsline

Tim Couch opened his Heisman Trophy campaign with 498 passing yards and seven touchdowns as Kentucky routed Louisville 68-34 Saturday in the first-ever game in the $63 million Cardinal Stadium.

The Kentucky quarterback, who finished ninth in last year's Heisman balloting, completed 29 of 39 passes to 11 receivers -- including four

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touchdowns of 30 yards or more -- as the Wildcats dominated their intrastate rivals for the second consecutive year.

Couch broke his own school yardage record of 476 set last year against Tennessee while the seven touchdowns tied his school and Southeastern Conference mark set last year against Indiana.

Derek Homer rushed 19 times for 123 yards as the Wildcats racked up a school-record 801 yards, 155 more than Kentucky gained against Tennessee Tech in 1951.

Louisville got the sold-out crowd excited early as Chris Redman hit Arnold Jackson with a 65-yard touchdown pass with 5:54 to play in the first quarter to put the Cardinals up 7-3.

Couch responded a minute later with a 56-yard pass to tight end James Whalen at the 4:49 mark to give the Wildcats the lead for good.

With 17 seconds remaining in the quarter, Couch hit Quentin McCord with a 48-yard touchdown down the right sideline for a 17-7 lead.

Couch threw touchdowns of 57, 21 and 15 yards in the second quarter, including a spectacular one-handed grab by Jimmy Haley near the goal line on the 21-yarder, as Kentucky went up 41-10 at halftime. The junior finished the half with 360 yards and five touchdowns.

Couch added a 13-yard touchdown to Craig Yeast in the opening moments of the third quarter and a 32-yard touchdown pass to McCord five seconds into the fourth quarter before leaving the ame.

Redman connected with tight end Ibn Green on touchdowns of 5 and 60 yards and tight end Jeff Sholly on a 5-yarder late in the second half to complete the scoring for Louisville.

Yeast led Kentucky receivers with nine catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Whalen had five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown, and Haley and Anthony White caught four balls each for the Wildcats.

Redman, a junior, completed 25 of 44 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns. Green caught eight passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.