Kentucky was right on the verge. Not of winning the game, necessarily, but of taking the lead and the ball on a play that could have changed the outlook of the remainder of the game.

A second failed opportunity by the UK offense in Alabama territory set up a second punt by Ryan Tydlacka to inside the 5-yard line.

With Alabama leading 7-6, Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson took the handoff and was slammed down in the end zone by two Wildcats.

Safety! Two points and the lead! Right?

Nope.

Forward progress was Richardson’s friend, which led to the fact that teams atop the SEC cannot be Kentucky’s true enemies.

That’s because the Wildcats just won’t be able to hang with the conference big boys this season.They did improve upon last week’s 41-7 shellacking to Florida, but road games against South Carolina, Auburn and Georgia stand as near-automatic losses right now.

If that’s the case, out of the games against Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt, two of those are must-wins to get back to a bowl game.

Alabama seized the opportunity deep in its own territory by turning a two-yard loss by Richardson into a 13-play, 97-yard drive that ate up 6:50 minutes of the clock.

That led to a quicker downfall than Billy Gillispie’s popularity after the basketball team’s NIT bid last season.

The Tide rolled to two scores in less than 20 seconds, as Colin Peek caught a touchdown pass from Greg McElroy and a fumble by Derrick Locke was returned 45 yards to paydirt.

Locke had difficulty shedding the memory of the fumble.

“I felt like I let my team down,” Locke said. “I have no idea what the outcome of the game would have been had I not lost the ball.”

None of this is to say that Kentucky gave up though.

The Wildcats won’t give up, but they won’t live up either, not if Kentucky fans are expecting a win like the school experienced two seasons ago, when it upset No. 1 LSU, or a better bowl game than the Independence Bowl or Liberty Bowl for that matter.

The SEC is just too tough.

As Brooks said, “the SEC, here we go baby!”

The game was not as painful as some thought it might be, but initially, it had the makings of another long, excruciating day for the Wildcats.

The basketball team was introduced early in the first quarter, and it seemed they would receive the loudest ovation of the day.

Especially after Alabama scored in the first minute of the game, and then Mike Hartline threw an ill-advised pass as he rolled right that was intercepted.

The cheers transitioned into celebration of a resilient effort by the Kentucky football team.

Two long field goals and a determined defense instilled hope in the Wildcat faithful, but not for very long.

The long drive and fumble stood as game-changing plays that Kentucky hardly ever avoids against the top teams in the conference.

Big Blue Nation can be proud if the Wildcats provide an effort as they did Saturday for the rest of the season, because that could be enough to get six wins and UK’s fourth straight bowl game.

And, really, what more can you expect?

AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.