Kentucky was on the losing end of a wild, back-and-forth affair with Clemson on Friday in Gator Bowl, but Wildcats wide receiver Barion Brown delivered one of the most electrifying plays of the game on the opening kickoff of the second half. Brown returned the kick 100 yards for his second touchdown of the game, putting Kentucky up 21-10 for the first two-score lead by either side in the contest.
Brown previously opened the scoring for Kentucky on a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, capping off a four-play, 73-yard scoring drive to give the Wildcats their first lead of the contest. Kentucky would find itself up 14-10 at halftime over the Tigers before the Wildcats padded their lead with Brown's second touchdown.
.@BarionBrown goes 100 yards for the kick return TOUCHDOWN. pic.twitter.com/6WpbcY4k1Y
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) December 29, 2023
Alas, Kentucky's 11-point lead wouldn't last as Clemson clawed its way back for a 38-35 victory, that after the two teams combined for 42 points -- 28 by Clemson -- in the fourth quarter alone. The final frame featured five lead changes, with the Tigers going ahead for good on a touchdown in the final minute of regulation. Still, Brown's latest kickoff return touchdown is one that he won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Brown caught 40 passes for a total of 439 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season, which saw Kentucky post a 7-5 record. However, kickoff returns is where Brown really made his mark. He exited the regular season with 476 yards and a pair of touchdowns on kickoff returns, plus 51 yards on punt returns. Brown entered Friday with 916 yards in kickoff returns for his two-year Kentucky career before surpassing the 1,000-yard mark with his 100-yard touchdown.
