This is what happened the last time a Manning played in Lexington

Ole Miss backup quarterback Eli Manning (10) throws a pass under pressure to spark an unsuccessful comeback bid against West Virginia in the Music City Bowl game at Adelphia Coliseum Dec. 28, 2000. West Virginia retiring head coach Don Nehlen won his last game with a 49-38 victory. (© George Walker IV / The Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC_)

The first family of SEC football will return to Lexington again on Saturday night. Arch Manning will play a college football game against Kentucky on the road just like his grandfather (Archie) and two uncles (Peyton and Eli). Not only is Texas coming to the Bluegrass for the first time ever but they are also bringing the biggest name in college football.

This will be the fourth time a Manning has started at quarterback against Kentucky in a road contest. The Cats upset Archie and top-10 Ole Miss as a double-digit underdog in 1969 in his only trip to Lexington. As most know, things did not go well for UK when Peyton Manning and Tennessee visited Lexington in 1995 and 1997. The quarterback duel between Peyton and Tim Couch in 1997 (both quarterbacks threw for over 470 yards) in a 59-31 win for the Vols is well remembered but UK was very much in the game in 1995 (Vols 34, Cats 31).

But neither were the last to play in Lexington. That occurred on Sept. 29, 2001, when Kentucky (1-2, 0-1) hosted Ole Miss (1-1, 0-1) in a game that was later broadcasted on tape delay. The 60,184 fans in attendance were treated to an exciting one in a contest where Shane Boyd and Jared Lorenzen split time at quarterback. The Cats rushed for 229 yards as future SEC Offensive Player of the Year Artose Pinner set a career-high in rushing yards (130) but UK had no answers for Eli Manning.

“I don’t know it was so much what we didn’t do as what Manning did,” Kentucky head coach Guy Morriss said postgame per Newspapers.com.

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In his first season as a full-time starter, Eli Manning lit up Kentucky. In the 42-31 win for the Rebels, the sophomore quarterback completed 19-of-36 passes for 268 yards. That included a 5-for-5 start for 56 yards on the opening touchdown drive. When UK cut the lead to 35-31 in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning calmly led another touchdown drive. Kentucky had no answers.

In the last three games in Lexington, Mannings have led their offenses to 34, 59, and 42 points. Head coaches Bill Curry, Hal Mumme, and Guy Morriss had long days against the future NFL Hall of Famers. Now 24 years later, UK is hopeful that this matchup with Arch Manning goes like the one when his grandfather came to town with a ranked SEC power 56 years ago.

Kentucky has scored points but couldn’t keep up with Mannings in shootouts. The Cats will likely try and make Saturday’s latest edition in Manning vs. Kentucky a rock fight.

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