LOOK: Will Levis wears custom cleats honoring Kentucky tornado victims
Kentucky quarterback Will Levis used his platform in his final game of the 2021 season to shine a light on a tragic situation.
In the Citrus Bowl against Iowa on Saturday, Levis sported custom cleats honoring those who were killed in a tornado outbreak in his school’s state.
Levis plans to auction the cleats off and donate the money to the relief efforts. He announced the news on Twitter on Saturday.
On the night of Dec. 10, severe thunderstorms and dozens of tornadoes swept through Western Kentucky killing 90 people. Several other states were impacted, including Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri. It was the deadliest December tornado outbreak on record.
Levis is just the latest athlete to raise awareness for the cause, as the sports community came together to help the victims in a variety of ways.
Wildcats hanging on in Orlando
Kentucky had a 13-3 lead midway through the third quarter and gave up two touchdowns to the Hawkeyes. With just a few minutes to go in the game, Iowa holds a 17-13 lead.
Levis is 14-for-23 with 154 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Massachusetts native and Penn State transfer entered Saturday’s game completing 66.5% of his passes for 2,593 yards, 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also had nine rushing touchdowns.
Running back Chris Rodriguez has a triple-digit day in Orlando, with 101 yards on 19 carries. He finished the regular season with the third-most rushing yards in the SEC.
This is the first time the two teams have met, and it’s a special game for Iowa alum and Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats are seeking their second 10-win season in the last four years. It would be the fourth season with double-digit wins in school history.