# Governor's Cup (Kentucky)

The Governor's Cup is a trophy awarded to the victor of the annual college football game between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville in the commonwealth of Kentucky; it is also used as a reference to the rivalry itself.

## History

Though the teams first played in 1912, they only played six times until the rivalry was suspended after the 1924 season and wasn't renewed for another 70 years. The rivalry resumed in 1994 with a new Governor's Cup trophy which has been awarded every year since.
Kentucky leads the series 19–16. Since the modern series started in 1994, Louisville leads 16–13. From 1994 to 2006, the game was played on the opening weekend of the college football season. In 2007, the game was moved to the third game of the season when played in Lexington but remained the first game when played in Louisville. Starting in 2014, which marked Louisville's inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Governor's Cup became the last game of the regular season for both teams on Thanksgiving weekend, which coincided with several other ACC-SEC same-state rivalries.
Because the Southeastern Conference, of which Kentucky is a member, decided to play a conference-only schedule for 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition of the Governor's Cup game was canceled. The rivalry will continue until at least the 2030 season with Kentucky hosting in even years and Louisville hosting in odd years.

### Notable games

September 2, 2000: In the only overtime game in series history, Louisville outlasted Kentucky to win 40–34. A walk-off touchdown from running back Tony Stallings would seal the game for the Cardinals.
November 26, 2016: Kentucky upset #11 Louisville in a shootout. Kentucky recovered a fumble by Heisman candidate Lamar Jackson with 1:45 to go in the game. Kentucky would kick a field goal to win the game 41–38. Lamar Jackson would go on to the win the Heisman Trophy.
November 25, 2023: Kentucky upset #10 Louisville. Louisville entered the game as 7.5 point favorite. This game extended Kentucky's win streak to 5 in a row and 6 of the last 7 meetings. The win was marked by three Louisville turnovers and a kick returned by Kentucky for a touchdown
November 30, 2024: In the 30th game since the series renewal, Louisville dominated Kentucky in a 41-14 win at Kroger Field. The win snapped a 5 game losing streak, giving the Cards their first win in the rivalry since 2017. Louisville forced five turnovers with a fumble returned for a touchdown by Ramon Puryear effectively ending Kentucky's hopes at a comeback.

## Game results

| Kentucky victories | Louisville victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | | Score |
| 1 | October 26, 1912 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 41–0 |
| 2 | November 22, 1913 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 20–0 |
| 3 | November 14, 1914 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 42–0 |
| 4 | November 6, 1915 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 15–0 |
| 5 | October 14, 1922 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 73–0 |
| 6 | October 4, 1924 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 29–0 |
| 7 | September 3, 1994 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 20–14 |
| 8 | September 2, 1995 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 13–10 |
| 9 | August 31, 1996 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 38–14 |
| 10 | August 30, 1997 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 38–24 |
| 11 | September 5, 1998 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 68–34 |
| 12 | September 4, 1999 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 56–28 |
| 13 | September 2, 2000 | Louisville, KY | Louisville | 40–34 |
| 14 | September 1, 2001 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 36–10 |
| 15 | September 1, 2002 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 22–17 |
| 16 | August 31, 2003 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 40–24 |
| 17 | September 5, 2004 | Louisville, KY | Louisville | 28–0 |
| 18 | September 4, 2005 | Lexington, KY | #12 Louisville | 31–24 |
| 19 | September 3, 2006 | Louisville, KY | #13 Louisville | 59–28 |
| No. | Date | Location | | Score |
| 20 | September 15, 2007 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 40–34 |
| 21 | August 31, 2008 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 27–2 |
| 22 | September 19, 2009 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 31–27 |
| 23 | September 4, 2010 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 23–16 |
| 24 | September 17, 2011 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 24–17 |
| 25 | September 2, 2012 | Louisville, KY | #25 Louisville | 32–14 |
| 26 | September 14, 2013 | Lexington, KY | #7 Louisville | 27–13 |
| 27 | November 29, 2014 | Louisville, KY | #22 Louisville | 44–40 |
| 28 | November 28, 2015 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 38–24 |
| 29 | November 26, 2016 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 41–38 |
| 30 | November 25, 2017 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 44–17 |
| 31 | November 24, 2018 | Louisville, KY | #15 Kentucky | 56–10 |
| 32 | November 30, 2019 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 45–13 |
| 33 | November 27, 2021 | Louisville, KY | #25 Kentucky | 52–21 |
| 34 | November 26, 2022 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 26–13 |
| 35 | November 25, 2023 | Louisville, KY | Kentucky | 38–31 |
| 36 | November 30, 2024 | Lexington, KY | Louisville | 41–14 |
| Series: Kentucky leads 19–16 |||||
| *Kentucky vacated all 2021 wins in August 2024. |||||

### Results by location

As of November 30, 2024
| City | Games | Kentucky victories | Louisville victories |
| Lexington | 21 | 10 | 5 |
| Louisville | 15 | 10 | 11 |

### Summary

As of November 30, 2024
| Years | Games | Kentucky victories | Louisville victories | Score |
| 1912-1924 | 6 | 6 | 0 | Kentucky 220 - Louisville 0 |
| 1990s | 6 | 3 | 3 | Kentucky 206 - Louisville 179 |
| 2000s | 10 | 4 | 6 | Kentucky 263 - Louisville 330 |
| 2010s | 10 | 4 | 6 | Kentucky 290 - Louisville 286 |
| 2020s | 4 | 3 | 1 | Kentucky 130 - Louisville 106 |
| Total | 36 | 20 | 16 | Kentucky 1,109 – Louisville 901 |

## Coaching Records

As of November 30, 2024

### Kentucky

| Head Coach | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Win % |
| Mark Stoops | 11 | 2013-2019, 2021-2024 | 5 | 5 | 0.500 |
| Joker Phillips | 3 | 2010-2012 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 |
| Rich Brooks | 7 | 2003-2009 | 3 | 4 | 0.428 |
| Guy Morriss | 2 | 2001-2002 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
| Hal Mumme | 4 | 1997-2000 | 2 | 2 | 0.500 |
| Bill Curry | 3 | 1994-1996 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 |
| Fred J. Murphy | 1 | 1924 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| William Juneau | 1 | 1922 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| John J. Tigert | 1 | 1915 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Alpha Brumage | 2 | 1913-1914 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Edwin Sweetland | 1 | 1912 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |

### Louisville

| Head Coach | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Win % |
| Jeff Brohm | 2 | 2023-2024 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
| Scott Satterfield | 3 | 2019, 2021-2022 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
| Lorenzo Ward | 1 | 2018 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Bobby Petrino | 8 | 2003-2006, 2014-2017 | 7 | 1 | 0.875 |
| Charlie Strong | 4 | 2010-2013 | 3 | 1 | 0.750 |
| Steve Kragthorpe | 3 | 2007-2009 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
| John L. Smith | 5 | 1998-2002 | 3 | 2 | 0.600 |
| Ron Cooper | 3 | 1995-1997 | 2 | 1 | 0.667 |
| Howard Schnellenberger | 1 | 1994 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Fred Enke | 1 | 1924 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Bill Duncan | 1 | 1922 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Will Duffy | 1 | 1915 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Bruce Baker | 1 | 1914 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Lester Larson | 2 | 1912–1913 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
* ↑ Kentucky vacated all 2021 wins in August 2024.
* 1 2 Kentucky voted with the SEC to not play Louisville in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* ↑ The Cardinals were led by interim head coach Lorenzo Ward after Bobby Petrino was fired on November 11.

## Howard Schnellenberger Award

The 2010 game was the inaugural year for the award. The award is given to the Most Valuable Player on the winning team by the Louisville Sports Commission. It is named for Howard Schnellenberger, who played under Bear Bryant for Kentucky and was Louisville's head coach when the modern football rivalry began in 1994.
| Date | Player | Team | Position | Statistics |
| September 4, 2010 | Derrick Locke | Kentucky | RB | 23 carries, 104 yards, 2 TDs, 3 receptions, 21 yards; 1 kickoff return, 23 yards |
| September 17, 2011 | Dexter Heyman | Louisville | LB | 12 tackles & 1 forced fumble |
| September 2, 2012 | Teddy Bridgewater | Louisville | QB | 19/21, 232 yards |
| September 14, 2013 | Teddy Bridgewater | Louisville | QB | 16/28, 250 yards, 1 TD |
| November 29, 2014 | DeVante Parker | Louisville | WR | 6 catches, 180 yards, 3 TD |
| November 28, 2015 | Lamar Jackson | Louisville | QB | 8/21, 130 yards, 1 TD; 17 carries, 186 yards, 2 TDs |
| November 26, 2016 | Stephen Johnson | Kentucky | QB | 16/27, 338 yards, 3 TDs; 8 carries, 83 yards |
| November 25, 2017 | Lamar Jackson | Louisville | QB | 15/21, 216 yards, 2 TDs; 18 carries, 156 yards |
| November 24, 2018 | Terry Wilson | Kentucky | QB | 17/23, 261 yards, 3 TDs; 10 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD |
| November 30, 2019 | Lynn Bowden | Kentucky | QB | 1/2, 4 yards; 22 carries, 284 yards, 4 TDs |
| November 27, 2021 | Will Levis | Kentucky | QB | 14/18, 149 yards; 14 carries, 113 yards, 4 TDs |
| November 26, 2022 | Matt Ruffolo | Kentucky | K | 4–4 FG 43 Long, 2–2 PAT |
| November 25, 2023 | J. J. Weaver | Kentucky | LB | 2 fumble recoveries, 8 solo tackles, 1 sack |
| November 30, 2024 | Isaac Brown | Louisville | RB | 26 carries, 178 yards, 2 TDs, 3 receptions, 12 yards |