PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The punt was a thing of beauty.
 
Quarterback Lee Kirkland, an all-area punter in high school, pooch-kicked a 47-yard punt and put Georgetown on its one-yard line, trailing the Bears 20-16, with 8:25 to play.
 
But the Tigers didn't flinch, going all 99 they needed, and a George Slunaker pass to Jamarcus Robinson covered the final 42 yards to put them on top 23-20.
 
The Bears drove to the Georgetown 19 with 5.2 seconds left, but a 32-yard field goal for the tie failed, giving the Tigers the win.
 
The result notwithstanding, it was another tremendous performance by Kirkland, this time against the nation's No. 3 team. He finished 34-of-47 for 319 yards, throwing three scoring passes and no interceptions.
 
The Bears took the opening kick and charged straight downfield. UPike needed nine plays to move 83 yards for the touchdown, coming on a pass from Kirkland to senior D'Andre Stafford for the final 16 yards.
 
Unfortunately, the Bears couldn't convert on the extra point, keeping the score 6-0 with 10:41 to play.
 
The Tigers methodically drove downfield on their first possession, needing 13 plays to cover 41 yards, but the drive ended on downs.
 
The Bears took over at the 33, and a slow, patient drive resulted in another score. UPike took 7 minutes off the clock on a 15-play, 67-yard drive, and it ended like the first one, with Kirkland finding Stafford from five yards out this time.
 
Senior Austan Shuffler nailed the extra point, and the Bears had a 13-0 lead with 10:23 left in the half.
 
Georgetown's offense took over at the 12-yard line and proceeded to move it all 88 yards on a dozen plays. The score came on a two-yard run by Darius Neal. This time the Tiger conversion attempt failed, making it 13-6 with 3:57 to play before the break.
 
The Tigers got the ball in the final minute of the half and moved it quickly downfield, as Gehrig Slunaker delivered to Jamarcus Robinson from 30 yards out for the score. Drew Rader's kick tied the game with 46 seconds left before recess.
 
The only points of the third period came on a beautiful corner pattern from Kirkland to senior Diego Soto for the 16-yard touchdown. It ended another long drive, going 11 plays and 67 yards, and Shuffler's kick made the Bears advantage 20-13 with 3:47 on the clock.
 
Georgetown's ensuing possession resulted in points but not the seven it wanted. The UPike defense again bowed its neck, forcing a 25-yard field goal by Rader that cut the Bears' advantage to 20-16 with 12:34 to play.
 
That set the stage for the thrilling conclusion.
 
Stafford led Bears' receivers with 11 catches for 88 yards and the two scores. Soto finished with four receptions for 76 yards.
 
Kirkland led the UPike rushing attack, picking up 36 yards on seven carries.
 
Slunaker was 19-of-24 for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson, who caught both scoring passes, had 171 yards on nine catches.
 
Neal finished with 97 yards on 28 carries and a score.
 
The Bears again had two players with double figure tackles, and again, one of them was junior linebacker Chuck Moore. He had 11 tackles, including nine solos, and one for loss. Sophomore Najmir Bellegarde also had 11 tackles, all on his own, and one sack.
 
Chad Holleran led the Tiger defense with nine solo tackles, including one for loss.
 
UPike will be on the road next Saturday, when it travels to Williamsburg to play the University of the Cumberlands. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.