How Will Levis compares to Tim Couch, Lamar Jackson and other UK-U of L rivalry standouts

When the highlight reel of Will Levis’ Kentucky football career is finished, the image of him throwing “L’s down” after each of his school record-tying four rushing touchdowns in the 2021 Governor’s Cup rivalry game figures to feature prominently.

“When the fans come and talk to you and talk about games, they’ll talk to you about the Georgia game, the Tennessee game, but it seems like they talk about the Louisville game more than anything,” Levis said after UK’s loss to Georgia on Saturday. “Just how we have to win that game and how big a game that is for us. I think I said this last year, but I’ve never really been a part of a true rivalry game.

“... So, for Louisville, to have an in-state rivalry like this, I think it’s really, really cool. I think it makes the game more fun and gets the guys a little bit extra motivation.”

In last season’s 52-21 Kentucky win, Levis completed 14 of 18 passes for 148 yards but did most of his damage with his legs. He rushed for 113 yards and four touchdowns to earn the Howard Schnellenberger Award, which has gone to the Governor’s Cup MVP in each year since 2010.

That performance added an exclamation point to what had been a promising but sometimes inconsistent debut season for Levis in a Kentucky jersey. With the MVP showing Levis continued a trend that has seen the best players from both programs often perform at their best in the rivalry game.

Tim Couch, Lamar Jackson, Lynn Bowden and Michael Bush are just a few of the former Wildcats and Cardinals stars who have shined in the Governor’s Cup rivalry. With 246 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two career games against the Cardinals, current UK running back Chris Rodriguez deserves a spot on that list, too.

As Levis and Rodriguez look to add another highlight to their Governor’s Cup resumes this week, here is a look at five of the best individual performances from each school in the rivalry’s modern history.

Tim Couch (Kentucky QB)

It should come as no surprise that the gold standard for Kentucky performances in the modern era of the rivalry was set by the program’s best player in that time period. Couch threw for 997 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception in three games against the Cardinals. He won both his Governor’s Cup games as a starter. Even as a freshman, he looked like the Wildcats’ best player when he came off the bench to throw for 101 yards and one touchdown in his collegiate debut versus Louisville. Couch’s 1998 Governor’s Cup performance remains arguably the best single-game passing performance ever by a UK quarterback. He completed 29 of 39 passes for 498 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception in a 68-34 Kentucky win that year.

Lamar Jackson (Louisville QB)

Kentucky was among the first schools to realize how big a problem the future NFL star would be when he came off the bench to lead Louisville to a 38-24 win in the 2015 Governor’s Cup game by rushing for 186 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 130 yards and one more score. In three games against Kentucky, Jackson totaled 513 rushing yards, 627 passing yards and nine total touchdowns. Jackson’s fourth-quarter fumble against Kentucky in his 2016 Heisman Trophy season set up UK’s game-winning field goal, but Jackson got his revenge a year later in leading Louisville to a 44-17 romp.

Lynn Bowden (Kentucky WR/QB)

Kentucky’s 45-13 2019 Governor’s Cup win will be remembered for one of the most dominant showings in the rivalry series. With Bowden playing quarterback, Kentucky attempted just two passes in the game, completing one for 4 yards. Still, the Wildcats mauled Louisville with 519 rushing yards. Bowden accounted for 284 of those with four touchdowns. The 284 rushing yards were second most by a UK player in a single game in program history. The four touchdowns tied a single-game school record. Bowden also shined as a receiver in the 2018 Governor’s Cup game with six catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Elvis Dumervil (Louisville DE)

The best defensive performance in the rivalry came from Dumervil in Louisville’s 31-24 win in 2005. The edge rusher broke a school record with six sacks to go along with seven tackles for loss, 11 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. “I was trying for three sacks,” Dumervil said after the game. “You know, I got out of control.”

Derrick Locke (Kentucky RB)

The winner of the first Schnellenberger Award in 2010, Locke led the way for two UK wins in the rivalry. In 2009 he totaled 301 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns, including one on a 100-yard kickoff return, in a 31-27 Kentucky win. A year later, Locke rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-16 Wildcats victory.

Chris Redman (Louisville QB)

Redman was overshadowed by Couch in the 1998 game despite completing 25 of 44 passes for 386 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. A year later, he overshadowed Dusty Bonner’s 446 passing yards for Kentucky by completing 30 of 40 passes for 324 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in a 56-28 Louisville win.

Benny Snell (Kentucky RB)

In three career games against Louisville, Snell totaled 362 rushing yards and five touchdowns. His best performance actually came in his one loss against the Cardinals with 211 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in 2017. He rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries a year later in the Wildcats’ 56-10 rout.

DeVante Parker (Louisville WR)

Craig Yeast, James Whalen, Garrett Johnson, Ibn Green, Deion Branch and Zek Parker are a few of the receivers who have posted stellar Governor’s Cup showings for both programs, but Parker’s 2014 performance might be the best by a pass-catcher in the rivalry’s history. In a 44-40 Louisville win, Parker caught six passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. An assist goes to Lexington native Kyle Bolin who threw for 381 yards for Louisville that day, but Parker was named the game’s MVP.

Donte Key (Kentucky LB)

Myron Pryor (2008), Bud Dupree (2014) and Josh Forrest (2015) all have a claim to best defensive performance by a Kentucky player in the rivalry, but Key deserves special mention due to his role in the inaugural Governor’s Cup game in 1994. Key, who was considered questionable to play due to an ankle injury, forced a fumble to set up Kentucky’s game-winning drive in the 20-14 victory. He then grabbed an interception on Louisville’s final possession to clinch the win. Perhaps Key’s son, current UK freshman wide receiver Dane Key, can repeat his father’s heroics this week?

Michael Bush (Louisville RB)

The Louisville native was undefeated in four career games against Kentucky. After playing a supporting role in the Cardinals’ 2003 and 2004 wins, Bush led the way in 2005 and 2006 with a combined 256 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Despite that record, there was heartbreak for Bush in the series as he broke his leg on the second play of the third quarter in 2006, ending a season he was expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy in its first game.

Saturday

Louisville at Kentucky

When: 3 p.m.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Louisville 7-4 (4-4 ACC), Kentucky 6-5 (3-5 SEC)

Series: Kentucky leads 18-15 Last meeting: Kentucky won 52-21 on Nov. 27, 2021, at Louisville.

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