NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. was ejected from the Music City Bowl after making contact with a referee after a 7-yard loss in the second quarter.
The sophomore had just been smothered by No. 21 Northwestern with 13:01 left in the second quarter Friday. As Snell got up, he appeared to push at referee Chris Coyte of the Pac-12, putting his hands on the referee's right arm. The referee immediately threw the flag and announced Snell was being ejected for contact with an official.
"I was on top of the play,'' Coyte told a pool reporter. "And the player got up and grabbed my arms and pushed them away and contacted me. That's a foul.''
Snell capped Kentucky's opening drive with a 3-yard touchdown run that gave him 19 this season and 32 for his career -- both school records. He left with six carries for 15 yards in Kentucky's 24-23 loss to Northwestern.
Snell rushed for 1,333 yards on 262 carries for the season.