LEXINGTON – The best player ever? Bobby Petrino believes he resides in Louisville.

There’s certainly a case for giving that title to Lamar Jackson, the Cardinals quarterback who continues to rewrite record books and leave spectators with jaws on the floor every time he steps on the field.

If Saturday was his last regular-season college football game, there won’t be much argument against Petrino’s statement, which could be seen as a last-chance pitch for Heisman voters to reconsider his prized quarterback to repeat for college football’s highest honor.

“To me, he is the best player that you’re ever going to see,” Petrino said after Jackson thrashed Kentucky 44-17 on Saturday at Kroger Field. “His ability to throw the ball, run the ball – there is nobody that has been like him and there will be nobody for a while before you see somebody that’s like him again.”

Jackson waited an entire year for redemption after fumbling near the goal line last season to allow Kentucky to kick a game-winning field goal. He wasn’t flashy, but didn’t need to be to outgain the Wildcats all on his own and bring the Governor’s Cup back to Louisville.

He accounted for 372 yards – Kentucky’s offense totaled 332 yards – behind 216 passing yards and 156 rushing on 18 attempts. He completed 15 of 21 pass attempts with two touchdowns, making him responsible for 116 touchdowns in his career.

He powered Louisville’s offense to score on eight drives, with the ninth and final possession running the clock out. He averaged 8.7 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per pass attempt.

“It just makes me grind harder,” Jackson said when told of his coach’s comments. “If he looks at me that way, if my teammates look at me that way, I just gotta stay that way and own up to what he said.”

He ran six times for 73 yards on third downs and converted five times. Just when Kentucky defenders had him in their grasp on multiple occasions, Jackson eluded them to move past the sticks.

Backed up in his own end zone, Jackson fumbled a snap, picked up the ball and squeezed through the line for a 15-yard run. Had it not been for two Wildcat defenders waiting on him, Jackson may have gone the distance.

Louisville scored on that 99-yard drive to make the lead 44-10 early in the fourth quarter.

“I can’t recall defending anybody as talented as he is,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “It’s tough. … They’re a good football team that’s well-coached, but then it’s really difficult when things break down or you’ve got them covered or got them stopped, and he just absolutely makes you miss and gets bunches of yards. It’s heartbreaking and it’s frustrating, especially with them being our rival in a heated game. He can aggravate you.”

Jackson had his 22nd 100-yard rushing game for his career and broke his own Louisville record for a ninth 100-yard game this season. His 12th straight game with 300 yards of offense already broke his own Louisville record and he already owns the school record for career yards of total offense with 12,846 yards.

With Jackson likely entering April’s NFL Draft, Louisville’s bowl game will be his last in a Cardinal’s uniform. He emphasized preparation for the bowl game over any Heisman trophy questions thrown his way during the postgame news conference.

As good as Jackson has been this season, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Stanford’s Bryce Love are the two favorites ahead of Jackson in ESPN’s latest experts’ poll.

“The ultimate competitor,” Petrino said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been around someone that competes like he does and backs it up with confidence and is so humble. Even last week’s game, watching them at the Syracuse game, he was on the sideline cheering and encouraging every guy out there after he came off the field. So, he’s just the greatest teammate and greatest kid in the world.”{&end}