Kentucky wide receiver Josh Ali ineffective in passing game in Mississippi State loss

Kentucky fifth-year senior wide receiver Josh Ali, who had missed three straight games after suffering a leg injury in a Nov. 2 SEC matchup with Florida, made his return to the field Saturday in the Wildcats’ 31-17 loss at Mississippi State but was ineffective in the passing game.

While Kentucky was held to 216 total yards, including 150 through the air, Ali made just two receptions for nine yards in his first game back. His low numbers vs. the Bulldogs came after he made only one catch for 15 yards in the Florida game and four receptions for 14 yards the week prior at South Carolina, showing that his production has been declining.

“It’s hard to put your finger on it, why he wasn’t more of a factor in the pass game,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said following the loss to Mississippi State. “I think – as I mentioned this week – coming back, you’d like to see him be at full tilt, but anytime you’re coming back from a knee injury and you’re playing wide receiver, I think it’s hard to be at full speed and have that complete 100% trust in the first game back.

“Hopefully, he’ll feel better and better.”

Through the six games Ali has played in this season, he’s reeled in 19 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown.

Despite receiving struggles, Ali records punt return for TD

Although Josh Ali wasn’t a part of Kentucky’s passing game against Mississippi State, the wide receiver did make a big play in his first game back from injury – returning a punt 74 yards for the Wildcats’ first touchdown of the game.

Ali’s touchdown put the Wildcats up 7-0 with 7:14 remaining in the first quarter. The punt return for the score by the veteran receiver was the first by a Kentucky player since Lynn Bowden, Jr. did it on Jan. 1, 2019.

“That was certainly a big play for us early with the punt return,” Stoops said. “I knew we would need it.”