Chris Rodriguez Jr. sealed Kentucky's second straight Citrus Bowl win

Wan’Dale Robinson was the star of Kentucky’s 20-17 Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa on New Year’s Eve, but the Wildcats don’t seal the deal without Chris Rodriguez Jr.

“I think he’s the best back in the SEC,” Robinson said of his All-Conference tailback teammate after beating the Hawkeyes on Saturday.

Rodriguez capped off Kentucky’s eight-play, 80-yard drive down the stretch of the fourth quarter with a tough-earned touchdown. The junior took a read-option handoff from quarterback Will Levis at the six-yard line and was immediately hit several yards in the backfield. But as he’s become well-known for, Rodriguez powered through the contact.

But not only did he rip the tackle, the power back crushed his way into the endzone to give UK back the lead, and ultimately, the win. Rodriguez scored with 1:48 left in the game before DeAndre Square caught an interception to finish out the win.

Chris Rodriguez runs it in to cap off another bowl win for Kentucky
pic.twitter.com/d94okIrJzt

— Cats Coverage 😼 (@CatsCoverage_) January 1, 2022

Rodriguez wasn’t even supposed to receive the ball on that touchdown call, actually. There’s a reason he got hit so quickly off the snap before breaking the tackle and trudging his way in for the score. Levis should have kept the ball himself.

“I made the wrong read,” Levis laughingly said of the play in the postgame press conference.

“Well, they had taken you away several times, too, so they were making it difficult,” Head coach Mark Stoops chimed in to say. “They are trying to get the ball out of Will’s hands as well, and they had a guy there with Chris. Chris made them miss, and you could always second guess plays.”

When you have a running back like Rodriguez though, you don’t have to second guess plays nearly as often. Especially when you make him mad by not giving the SEC’s best running back the ball.

“Actually we ran that play earlier and (Levis) didn’t give it to me and I was pissed,” Rodriguez told KSR’s Nick Roush after the game. “So I don’t know if he didn’t want to give it to me but I just snatched it. It is what is, I ended up scoring on it.”

Rodriguez finished with 20 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, one the game-sealer and the other a five-yard reception on Kentucky’s opening drive. In the process, he broke the program record for most 100-yard rushing games in a single season with nine, this being his fifth in a row. If he returns for a senior season, he could break Benny Snell’s all-time rushing record.

But before he makes any decision regarding his future, he’ll sit back and soak in another bowl game victory. He sure did earn it.