Kentucky flipped the script in 3rd-quarter onslaught at No. 9 Texas A&M

Last week, Will Stein rolled the dice deep in his own territory to stem the rising Tide. The gamble backfired, and Kentucky’s second half unraveled at home, letting a 4-point halftime lead turn into a 45-17 loss.

Fast forward just seven days, and it was Kentucky’s turn to force an opposing head coach into a desperate roll of the dice, as Mike Elko rolled the dice in his own territory down 21-7 in the 3rd en route to a 31-21 victory.

What a difference a week makes, because it didn’t work out for the Aggies either. Marcel Reed rolled out and was off target on the throw, and the Cats turned that into a TD to take a commanding 28-7 lead.

To really grasp the turnaround, you just have to look at the tale of two third quarters over the last two weeks.

The collapse: Last week vs. Alabama (3rd Quarter)

• The score: Alabama 18, Kentucky 0

• Total yards: Alabama 99, Kentucky 27

• The pocket: Kenny Minchey was sacked twice as the protection crumbled around him.

Total yards: Alabama 99, Kentucky 27

The pocket: Kenny Minchey was sacked twice as the protection crumbled around him.

The response: This week at No. 9 Texas A&M (3rd Quarter)

• The score: Kentucky 21, Texas A&M 0

• Total yards: Kentucky 196, Texas A&M 16

• The pocket: Operating from a spotless pocket, Minchey was surgical, carving up the Aggies with a perfect 8-for-8 for 110 yards and a touchdown.

The score: Kentucky 21, Texas A&M 0

Total yards: Kentucky 196, Texas A&M 16

The pocket: Operating from a spotless pocket, Minchey was surgical, carving up the Aggies with a perfect 8-for-8 for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Whatever third-quarter demons haunted the Cats at Kroger Field, they emphatically exorcised them on the road in one of the sport’s most hostile environments.

And they didn’t do it against a rebuilding program. The Aggies were 18-4 coming into the day. Over the last three years, the Aggies’ only home losses were at the hands of heavyweights: top-10 Notre Dame, top-5 Texas, top-15 Alabama, and Miami (FL) in the CFP.