LEXINGTON, KY. ? Jackie Morriss witnessed the horror from her front-row seat on the 50-yard line, just behind the bench of the team her husband coaches.

Jackie Morriss is married to Guy Morriss. She has seen her share of football.

“And I knew it wasn’t over,” she said. “I was thinking about Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary. I’m from Boston, you know.”

Those of us from here thought of someone else.

Of Christian Laettner, in cleats.

Whatever last-second atrocities had visited Kentucky football in the past, Saturday’s 75-yard, tip-drill, final-play touchdown pass from LSU quarterback Marcus Randall to wide receiver Devery Henderson for an unbelievable 33-30 Tigers victory toppled them all.

Worse than 1980, when Kentucky was called for successive pass interference penalties that allowed Tulane to travel 92 yards and kick a winning field goal with no time left.

Worse than 1993, when Kentucky intercepted seven passes but lost 24-20 when Florida completed a 28-yard touchdown pass in the final three seconds.

Those did not have 75 yards. In the final two seconds. With two tips of the football in between.

Those did not contain a premature Gatorade victory shower for Morriss, or the celebratory launching of fireworks as the final pass was in its heroic flight, or students rushing to tear down the goal posts at one end as the game was being lost at the other.

“It was surreal,” said UK receiver Derek Abney, hanging his head. “I don’t have words for it, really.”

Those did not contain possibly the longest game-ending touchdown in college football history without a marching band on the field.

Saturday’s TD was almost a combination of that California kickoff return through the Stanford band that was already on the field and Flutie’s famous desperation throw that gave Boston College a win over Miami and Flutie the Heisman trophy.

Yet even by Kentucky football’s practically matchless standards, those who thought they had seen it all, had never seen this.

“I have been on the other side of that,” said Morriss, who played 12 years in the NFL. “But never on this side.”

Said Abney, who saw the play from the sidelines, “I’ve never been a part of something where it changes feelings like that. From complete joy, to utter confusion.”

Nor had Mitch Barnhart. Seconds earlier, the UK athletics director had been under the goal posts, making sure security could keep the gathering mass of fans and students from coming on the field too early.

“My concern was to make sure that the officials and the other team gets off the field safely,” he said.

Barnhart cringed when he saw the fireworks – “I’m apologetic to LSU,” he said afterward. “That was undeserved and it was wrong.” – and he gasped when his eyes saw what they had never seen before.

“I just feel so bad for our kids,” said Barnhart, shaking his head.

So maybe this wasn’t the same as ’92 when Duke’s Laettner caught Grant Hill’s inbounds pass at the free-throw line, turned and buried the shot that beat Kentucky, 104-103, in the NCAA Tournament East Region finals.

This time, UK did guard the passer. It even touched the ball. And still lost.

Kentucky football now has its Christian Laettner, in cleats.