Kentucky football: Josh Allen, Mark Stoops address end-game controversy against Missouri

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Missouri’s second-to-last play against Kentucky might’ve been as crucial as its final incompletion that gave the Wildcats a 40-34 win.

With about 30 seconds left in the game, Missouri quarterback Drew Lock completed a 1-yard pass to receiver J’Mon Moore. As Moore was running the ball back to the referee for the next play to be spotted, the ball was either popped loose by Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen or dropped by Moore.

As a result, the ball bounced on the ground for several seconds and the refs were in no hurry to spot the next play. Missouri spiked the ball with just three seconds left. Eighteen seconds passed from the time Moore was tackled to the time the ball was spiked.

Allen was asked if he intentionally knocked the ball loose.

“What you mean?” he said, not knowing what the question was referring to. Multiple reporters attempted to explain the play and the spotting issue, but Allen didn’t seem aware of the situation.

“To be honest with you I don’t know,” Allen said.

Allen seemed legitimately confused, and from the video it’s not conclusive if he jarred the ball loose from Moore. Allen didn’t seem to mince words about other questions after the game. The junior linebacker caused a sack fumble on Lock to set up Kentucky’s first score.

“I tried to hurt him to be honest with you,” Allen said of Lock. “I tried to take his head off. I was lucky to get back there. Nobody blocked me.”

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was also asked about the late game spotting issue that might’ve cost Missouri an extra shot at the end zone.

“At the end there?” Stoops asked. “I don’t know what was going on.”

But Missouri coach Barry Odom seemed aware of the situation.

“I know what I saw and I know how the ball was placed and not placed,” Odom said.

Likewise, J’Mon Moore seemed to have little doubt in his mind that the ball was intentionally poked away from his grip.

Kentucky moved to 5-1 with the win.