Kentucky Wildcats football

Kentucky Wildcats football
2018 Kentucky Wildcats football team
First season 1892
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart
Head coach Mark Stoops
6th season, 31–37 (.456)
Stadium Kroger Field
(Capacity: 61,000)
Field surface Field Turf
Location Lexington, Kentucky
Conference Southeastern Conference
Division Eastern
All-time record 597–608–44 (.496)
Bowl record 8–9 (.471)
Claimed nat'l titles 1 (1950) [1]
Conference titles 2
Rivalries Tennessee Volunteers
Vanderbilt Commodores
Louisville Cardinals
Consensus All-Americans 10[2]
Colors Blue and White[3]
         
Fight song On, On, U of K, Kentucky Fight
Mascot Wildcat, Scratch[4]
Website ukathletics.com

The Kentucky Wildcats football program represents the University of Kentucky in the sport of American football. The Wildcats compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Wildcats play their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky and are currently led by head coach Mark Stoops.

History

Early history (1881–1945)

A. M. Miller, Kentucky's first head football coach

Until about 1913, the modern University of Kentucky was referred to as "Kentucky State College" and nearby Transylvania University was known as "Kentucky University". In 1880, Kentucky University and Centre College played the first intercollegiate football game in Kentucky. Kentucky State first fielded a football team in 1881, playing three games against rival Kentucky University. The team was revived in 1891. Both the inaugural 1881 squad and the revived 1891 squad have unknown coaches according to university records in winning two games and losing three.[5] The 1891 team's colors were blue and light yellow, decided before the Centre–Kentucky game on December 19. A student asked "What color blue?" and varsity letterman Richard C. Stoll pulled off his necktie, and held it up. This is still held as the origin of Kentucky's shade of blue. The next year light yellow was dropped and changed to white.[6] The 1892 team was coached by A. M. Miller, and went 2–4–1.[7]

The greatest UK team of this era was the 1898 squad, known simply to Kentuckians as "The Immortals."[7] To this day, the Immortals remain the only undefeated, untied, and unscored upon team in UK football history.[7] The Immortals were coached by W. R. Bass and ended the year a perfect 7–0–0, despite an average weight of 147 pounds per player.[7] Victories came easily for this squad, as the Immortals raced by Kentucky University (18- 0), Georgetown (28–0), Company H of the 8th Massachusetts (59–0), Louisville Athletic Club (16–0), Centre (6–0), 160th Indiana (17–0) and Newcastle Athletic Club (36–0).[7]

Head coach Jack Wright led the team to a 7–1 record in 1903, losing only to rival and southern champion Kentucky University.[7]

Fred Schacht posted a 15–4–1 record in two seasons but died unexpectedly after his second season.[7] J. White Guyn also had success leading the Wildcats, posting a 17–7–1 record in his three years.[7]

Edwin Sweetland went 16–3 in three seasons (1909–1910 and 1912) but resigned due to poor health.[7] Sweetland also served as Kentucky's first athletics director.[7] The 1909 team upset the Illinois Fighting Illini. Upon their welcome home, Philip Carbusier said that they had "fought like wildcats," a nickname that stuck.[8]

Doc Rodes.

John J. Tigert coached Kentucky for two seasons (1915–1916) with each season having one loss. 1915 captain Charles C. Schrader was All-Southern. The 1916 team fought the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) co-champion Tennessee Volunteers to a scoreless tie. The year's only a loss, 45 to 0 to the Irby Curry-led Vanderbilt Commodores, was the dedication of Stoll Field. Quarterbacks Curry and Kentucky's Doc Rodes were both selected All-Southern at year's end. Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin stated "If you would give me Doc Rodes, I would say he was a greater player than Curry."[9]

Coach Harry Gamage had a 32–25–5 record during his seven seasons from 1927 to 1933.[7] A.D. Kirwan, who would go on to be the president of the university, coached the Wildcats from 1938 to 1944 and posted a 24–28–4 record in those six seasons.[7]

Longtime athletics director Bernie Shively also served as Kentucky's head football coach for the 1945 season.[7]

Paul "Bear" Bryant era (1946–1953)

Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was Kentucky's head football coach for eight seasons.[10]

Bear Bryant came to Kentucky from Maryland.[11] Under Bryant's tutelage, the Wildcats won the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl, lost the 1950 Orange Bowl, won the 1951 Sugar Bowl and the 1952 Cotton Bowl Classic.[10] In final AP polls, the Wildcats were ranked No. 11 in 1949, No. 7 in 1950, No. 15 in 1951, No. 20 in 1952 and No. 16 in 1953.[10] The final 1950 poll was taken prior to the bowl games; Kentucky then defeated undefeated and No. 1 ranked Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and finished with the number 1 ranking in 3 major polls,[10] ending the Sooners 31-game winning streak. Bryant won SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1950 and then left after eight seasons to accept the head football coach position at Texas A&M.

Assistant coaches at Kentucky under Bryant who went on to become head coaches include Paul Dietzel, Frank Moseley, Jim Owens and Phil Cutchin.[12] Notable players who played for Bryant at Kentucky include Howard Schnellenberger, Jim Mackenzie, Jerry Claiborne, Steve Meilinger, George Blanda, Vito Parilli, and Bob Gain.[13]

Blanton Collier era (1954–1961)

Cleveland Browns assistant Blanton Collier was hired to replace Bryant as head football coach at Kentucky in late 1953.[14] After completing his first season at Kentucky, Collier was named SEC Coach of the Year after posting a 7–2 record.[14] Collier's assistants during his tenure at Kentucky included the likes of Bill Arnsparger, Chuck Knox, Howard Schnellenberger, and Don Shula.[15]

Despite having a winning record, 41–36–3 in eight seasons, Collier was fired.[16] Collier struggled to recruit for much of his tenure, about which frustrated fans wrote letters of complaint to the university.[17] Collier is the last Kentucky head football coach to leave the Wildcats with a winning record.

Charlie Bradshaw era (1962–1968)

Charlie Bradshaw, an Alabama assistant under Bear Bryant, was hired to replace the fired Collier.[18] Despite all the hype about being a Bear Bryant assistant, Bradshaw's tenure turned out to be a disappointment, as he was unable to have much success with the Wildcats. He had a 25–41–5 record in seven seasons.[19] Bradshaw is the last Kentucky coach to defeat Tennessee twice in Knoxville, and the last Kentucky coach to defeat Auburn twice.[18] He was also the last to defeat a No. 1 ranked team in the country until Rich Brooks in 2007.[18]

Bradshaw, a harsh, brutal coach,[20] was the head coach of the infamous Thin Thirty Kentucky team. Kentucky had 88 players when Bradshaw arrived, but by season's end, only 30 players were on the team.[21] The story of that team is told in the 2007 book The Thin Thirty by Shannon Ragland.[20] Bradshaw also recruited Nate Northington, the first African American to play in an SEC athletic contest (1967).[22]

John Ray era (1969–1972)

Notre Dame assistant John Ray took over as head football coach in late 1969. Ray's teams consistently had solid defenses, but struggled to produce on the offensive end.[23] Ray's teams failed to win more than three games in a single season, going a dismal 10–33 overall in Ray's four seasons.[24] Ray's contract was not renewed after the 1972 season.

Fran Curci era (1973–1981)

A football signed by Kentucky head coach Fran Curci and gifted to President Gerald Ford.

Kentucky hired Fran Curci away from Miami after Ray was let go.[25] The 1976 Wildcats tallied their first winning season in 13 years and won the Peach Bowl,[26] finishing No. 18 in the final AP poll.[26] For all intents and purposes, however, Curci's tenure ended soon afterward, when the NCAA slapped the Wildcats with two years' probation for numerous recruiting and amateurism violations. They were banned from postseason play and live television in 1977. The most damaging sanction in the long term, however, was being limited to only 25 scholarships in 1977 and 1978.[27]

The 1977 Kentucky team went 10–1, went undefeated in SEC play, won a share of the SEC title and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the AP poll.[26] Due to the sanctions, however, the Wildcats were not able to go to a bowl. Kentucky finished at No. 6 and Penn State at No. 5 despite the fact that Kentucky defeated Penn State at Penn State during the regular season. Curci was unable to put together another winning team as a result of the reduced scholarships, and was fired after the 1981 season.[28]

Jerry Claiborne era (1982–1989)

Coach Claiborne

Coach Jerry Claiborne returned to his alma mater from Maryland.[29] He led the Wildcats to the 1983 Hall of Fame Bowl and the 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl,[30] defeating a Wisconsin team ranked No. 20 in the polls to finish the season with a 9–3 record and a No. 19 ranking in the final AP and UPI polls.[31] Claiborne also won SEC Coach of the Year honors in 1983. The E.J. Nutter Training Facility was built in 1987. Coach Claiborne and Kentucky experienced an era of constant change at the quarterback position following the 1987 season through his departure that included Ransdell, Wright, and High School All-American and two way starter (Quarterback/Safety) Ricky Lewis, prior to landing Mr. Kentucky Football Awardee Pookie Jones of Calloway County.[32] Claiborne retired following the 1989 season[33] and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1999. He was the last coach to defeat Tennessee until Joker Phillips in 2011 and the last coach to defeat Florida until Mark Stoops in 2018.[31] His final record at Kentucky is 41–46–3.[30]

Bill Curry era (1990–1996)

Bill Curry surprised the college football world by leaving Alabama for Kentucky in late 1989.[34][35] Despite the high hopes that the Kentucky football program would rise under his leadership, Curry's Wildcats teams never achieved much success.[36] The Wildcats' best season under Curry was 1993, going on to play Clemson in the 1993 New Year's Eve Peach Bowl. It would be his only winning season in seven years. On the other side of the spectrum, his 1994 team went 1-10, the worst record in modern program history.[37] Curry was asked to resign after seven seasons and just a .33 winning percentage.[38] Curry's record at Kentucky was 26–52.[31]

Hal Mumme era (1997–2000)

Coach Hal Mumme came to Kentucky from Valdosta State and brought an exciting, high-scoring, pass-oriented offense known as the "Air Raid".[39] He led the Wildcats to the 1998 Outback Bowl and the 1999 Music City Bowl.[40] Mumme achieved a 20–26 record in his four seasons.[41] Mumme coached star quarterback Tim Couch, the top overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. Mumme was popular among the Kentucky fans,[42] but the program was hit with severe sanctions for NCAA violations involving cash payments from an assistant coach to prospective recruits.[41] Although Mumme himself was not implicated in any violation,[43] he resigned after the 2000 season.[41] Assistant coaches under Mumme at Kentucky included Mike Leach and Sonny Dykes.[44] Mumme is the last Kentucky coach to beat Alabama.[45]

Guy Morriss era (2001–2002)

Guy Morriss was promoted from offensive line coach to head coach of the Wildcats after Mumme's resignation.[46] Under coach Morriss, the Wildcats went 2–9 in 2001[47] but improved to a 7–5 record in 2002.[48] However, the Wildcats were not eligible for postseason play in 2002 due to NCAA sanctions from Mumme's tenure.[49] The most significant event of that season came in a loss to LSU (See: Bluegrass Miracle).[50] Morriss accepted an offer to become the head football coach at Baylor after the 2002 season.[51]

Rich Brooks era (2003–2009)

The team's next head coach was former Oregon head coach Rich Brooks, who was hired in December 2002.[52] He led the team out of the probationary years to an 8–5 regular season record in 2006,[53] including a memorable upset over the defending SEC champion Georgia, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.[54] Brooks also led the football team to its first bowl game since 1999 and its first bowl game victory since 1984, as Kentucky defeated the Clemson University Tigers 28–20 in the Music City Bowl.[55] In 2007, the Wildcats were ranked 8th in the nation before a loss to South Carolina on October 4.[56] After the loss to South Carolina, Kentucky bounced back on October 13 to defeat No. 1 LSU in a historic triple overtime game.[57]

Brooks took Kentucky to four consecutive bowl games, winning the first three.[58] The 2007 Kentucky Wildcats football defeated the Florida State Seminoles 35–28 in the 2007 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 31, 2007.[59] Quarterback Andre' Woodson was named the Music City Bowl MVP for the second year in a row.[60] In 2008 the Wildcats opted to go to the Liberty Bowl instead of the Music City Bowl and defeated Conference USA champion East Carolina 25–19.[61] In 2009, Brooks and Kentucky returned to the Music City Bowl, losing in a rematch to Clemson 21–13.[62] Brooks retired after seven seasons with a 39–47 overall record.[58]

Joker Phillips era (2010–2012)

Former Wildcat wide receiver and longtime assistant coach Joker Phillips was formally named head coach January 6, 2010 after Brooks' retirement; he had been Brooks' designated successor since 2008.[63] Kentucky started off strong under Phillips with a win on the road against archrival Louisville.[64] The 2010 squad snapped a long-standing losing streak to South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier by defeating the Gamecocks at Kroger Field.[64] However, they dropped games to both Ole Miss and Mississippi State, lost to a Florida team on a down year and once again failed to beat its other archrival Tennessee, having lost 26 in a row to the Vols,[64] the longest losing streak by one team to another in college football. The Wildcats capped the season with a 27–10 loss to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl.[65]

On November 26, 2011, Kentucky snapped the longest active FBS losing streak to any one team by defeating the Tennessee Vols 10–7 at Kroger Field.[66]

On November 4, 2012, the day after a 40-0 home shutout by Vanderbilt resulting with a 1–9 record, UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart released a public letter to Big Blue Nation announcing that Phillips would not return for the 2013 season, but that he would finish out the 2012 season as head coach.[67] With Joker's 5-year contract only being 3 years complete at the end of the season, the university has to pay $2.55 Million over the final 2 years of the contract.[68]

Mark Stoops era (2013–present)

Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, brother of legendary former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops,[69] was hired as Kentucky's head football coach in late 2012.[70] One of Stoops' first moves was hiring offensive coordinator Neal Brown, who brought back the "Air Raid" offense.[71] After nine months as the head coach of the Wildcats, Stoops and his staff signed the highest ranked recruiting class in program history.[72]

Stoops's first season at Kentucky was a struggle, as the Wildcats duplicated the 2–10 record from 2012.[73] Kentucky's wins in 2013 were over a winless Miami (OH) and FCS opponent Alabama State.[74][73] In Stoops's second season, the Wildcats broke a 17-game SEC losing streak when they beat Vanderbilt the fourth game into the season.[75] The Wildcats finished the 2014 season with a 5–7 record.[76] After the season, offensive coordinator Neal Brown left to take the head coaching job at Troy.[77] In 2015, Stoops's third season, the Wildcats duplicated their 5–7 record from 2014. They lost to Florida,[78] Auburn,[79] Mississippi State,[80] Tennessee,[81] Georgia,[82] Vanderbilt,[83] and Louisville,[84] and they defeated Louisiana-Lafayette,[85] South Carolina,[86] Missouri,[87] Eastern Kentucky[88] and Charlotte.[89]

On December 18, 2015, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, who was hired to replace Neal Brown, announced he would not return to the program for the 2016 season as the offensive coordinator, a result of the team's struggles over the previous few years.[90][91] In his place Kentucky hired Cincinnati offensive coordinator Eddie Gran as the assistant head coach of offense at Kentucky. Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw has also joined the UK staff as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator.[92][93] Kentucky began the 2016 season with a loss to Southern Miss by a score of 44–35, after blowing a 25-point lead.[94] Ironically, Shannon Dawson, who was fired by Kentucky as offensive coordinator just months earlier, had been hired to serve as Southern Miss' offensive coordinator.[95] Kentucky would finish 7–6 (4–4 SEC) on the season, which included snapping a five-game losing streak to archrival Louisville by a score of 41–38,[96] with a berth in the TaxSlayer Bowl, their first bowl berth since 2010, a game they lost to Georgia Tech by a score of 33–18.[97]

In the 2017-2018 season, the Wildcats opened the season with a victory over Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg 24-17. The next week, the Wildcats defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in their home opener at the newly renamed Kroger Field in Lexington. Following a road victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, they failed to defeat the Florida Gators, who they have not defeated since 1986. This extended the longest losing streak in SEC history to 31 years. Responding to the criticized loss to Florida, the Wildcats defeated Eastern Michigan and Missouri at Kroger Field, improving their record to 5-1.

Following their bye week, the Kentucky Wildcats fell to ranked Mississippi State team in Starkville, Mississippi by a score of 45-7. However, the Wildcats improved to 6-2 by defeating the Tennessee Volunteers by a score of 29-26 at Kroger Field in Lexington, KY. The victory over Tennessee was Kentucky's second victory since 1984 over the Volunteers, and secured Kentucky in postseason eligibility. This was followed by a loss to Ole Miss at home 37-34 on November 4 and a dominating road win over unranked Vanderbilt on November 11, 44-21. The Wildcats then lost to Georgia 42-13 in Athens, Georgia on November 18, 2017. In their last regular season game against Louisville on November 25, Kentucky was beaten at home 44-17. Kentucky then proceeded to play Northwestern in Nashville, Tennessee in the Music City Bowl on December 29, and the Kentucky Wildcats lost 24-23.

In 2018, After beating Central Michigan, Kentucky went to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators, who had won 31 straight against Kentucky, and ended their losing streak with a 27-16 win at the Swamp. It was the Wildcats first win in Gainesville since 1979. They added wins in the next two weeks over Murray State and No. 14 Mississippi State, the second of which put Kentucky into the Top 25. It was the Wildcats first time being ranked since 2007.

Championships

National championships

Prior to the advent of the BCS in 1998, national champions were primarily chosen by a combination of national ranking systems and nation media poll rankings. During the last 142 years, there have been more than 30 selectors of national champions using polls, historical research and mathematical rating systems. Beginning in 1936, The Associated Press began the best-known and most widely circulated poll of sportswriters and broadcasters. Before 1936, national champions were determined by historical research and retroactive ratings and polls. It is important to remember that from 1936 to 1964, the Associated Press chose a "national champion" prior to bowl games.

The NCAA has never officially recognized a national champion from among the bowl coalition institutions, but in 2004 the NCAA commissioned Jeff Sagarin to use his computer model to retroactively determine the highest ranked teams for the years prior to the BCS. His champion for the 1950 season is Kentucky. The polls for the 1950 national champion, taken before the bowl games were played, list either Oklahoma (AP, Berryman, Helms, Litkenhous, UPI, Williamson), Princeton (Boand, Poling), or Tennessee (Billingsley, DeVold, Dunkel, Missouri,Don Faurot Football Research, National Championship Foundation, Sagarin (ELO-Chess)). Tennessee was the winner of the Cotton Bowl and the only team to beat Kentucky during the 1950 season. Oklahoma was named National Champion by AP and UPI Coaches' Poll, both which awarded their titles before the bowl games. Kentucky would go on to beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. However, they are still not recognized as national champions for that year. [98]

Season Coach Selectors Record Bowl Result
1950Bear BryantSagarin Rating11–1Won 1951 Sugar BowlKentucky 17, Oklahoma 7

Conference championships

Season Conference Coach Overall Record Conference Record
1950SECPaul "Bear" Bryant11–15–1
1976daggerSECFran Curci9–3‡5–1‡
Conference Titles: 2
dagger Denotes co-champions

‡ Mississippi State forfeited their 1976 win over Kentucky, giving Kentucky an official 5–1 conference record and a share of the SEC title with Georgia.

  • Kentucky also finished the 1977 season with a 10–1 (6–0 SEC) record, but were not eligible for a share of the SEC championship or for postseason play due to NCAA probation.

Bowl games

UK has played in 17 bowl games, compiling a record of 8–9. Note that in the table below, the year references the season, and not the actual date the game was played.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1947Bear BryantGreat Lakes BowlVillanovaW 24–14
1949Orange BowlSanta ClaraL 13–21
1950Sugar BowlOklahomaW 13–7
1951Cotton Bowl ClassicTCUW 20–7
1976Fran CurciPeach BowlNorth CarolinaW 21–0
1983Jerry ClaiborneHall of Fame ClassicWest VirginiaL 16–20
1984Hall of Fame ClassicWisconsinW 20–19
1993Bill CurryPeach BowlClemsonL 13–14
1998Hal MummeOutback BowlPenn StateL 14–26
1999Music City BowlSyracuseL 13–20
2006Rich BrooksMusic City BowlClemsonW 28–20
2007Music City BowlFlorida StateW 35–28
2008Liberty BowlEast CarolinaW 25–19
2009Music City BowlClemsonL 13–21
2010Joker PhillipsBBVA Compass BowlPittsburghL 10–27
2016Mark StoopsTaxSlayer BowlGeorgia TechL 18–33
2017Music City BowlNorthwesternL 23–24

Current coaching staff

Name Position
Mark StoopsHead Coach
Eddie GranOffensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach, RB Coach
Matt HouseDefensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Vince MarrowTight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Steve ClinkscaleSecondary Coach
Michael SmithWide Receivers Coach
Darin HinshawCo-Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
John SchlarmanOffensive Line Coach
Derrick LeBlancDefensive Line Coach
Dean HoodLB Coach/Special Teams Coordinator

Rivals

Louisville

First played in 1912, Louisville-Kentucky football series was revived in 1994 after the success of the basketball series that restarted in 1983. They played the first four games of the renewed series at Commonwealth Stadium (now Kroger Field) until Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (PJCS) was completed in 1997, at which time they began rotating the series between Louisville, Kentucky and Lexington, Kentucky. The series is tied at 15–15 but trails the modern series 15-9. Kentucky played Louisville in the Cardinals' first 4 seasons and twice in the 1920s, holding the Cardinals scoreless in all contests. Kentucky then left the SIAA in 1922 to become a charter member of the Southeastern Conference and limited its play of in-state schools. It would be 70 years before these two in-state rivals faced each other again.

In 2013, it was announced that the game would be moved to the final game of the season following Louisville's 2014 move to the ACC. This scheduling change fits with other end-of-year SEC vs. ACC rivalry games, such as Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, Florida vs. Florida State and South Carolina vs. Clemson.

Kentucky upset the #11 Louisville Cardinals 41-38 on November 26, 2016. The Wildcats were 27 point underdogs going into the game.

Tennessee

Tennessee and Kentucky have played each other 108 times over 114 years with Tennessee winning 75 games to 24 wins by Kentucky (.736). Tennessee has won the most games in Lexington, Kentucky with 35 wins to 14 by Kentucky (.702). Tennessee also has more wins than Kentucky in Knoxville, Tennessee with 45 wins to 10 (.787). Tennessee has the most wins in the series at Stoll Field with 19 wins to 11 Kentucky wins (.621). The Series is tied at 3 a piece at Baldwin Park. Tennessee leads the series at Neyland Stadium with 35 wins to 7 Kentucky wins (.792). Tennessee leads the series at Kroger Field with 17 wins to 3 Kentucky wins (.850). Like many college football rivalries, the Tennessee-Kentucky game had its own trophy for many years: a wooden beer barrel painted half blue and half orange. The trophy was awarded to the winner of the game every year from 1925 to 1997. The Barrel was introduced in 1925 by a group of former Kentucky students who wanted to create a material sign of supremacy for the rivalry. It was rolled onto the field that year with the words "Ice Water" painted on it to avoid any outcries over a beer keg symbolizing a college rivalry.

The barrel exchange was retired in 1998 after two Kentucky football players died in an alcohol-related crash.

Indiana

More known for its basketball rivalry, the Indiana-Kentucky series was played annually from 1987 until 2005 in what was known as the "Battle for the Bourbon Barrel" game. The series rotated between Bloomington, Indiana and Lexington, Kentucky and the two teams played for a trophy called the "Bourbon Barrel" from 1987 until both schools mutually agreed to retire the trophy in 1999 following the alcohol-related death of two Kentucky football players.[99] Indiana leads the series (18–17–1). The two haven't played since 2005.

Vanderbilt

Having started in 1896, the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1953.[100] The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, stands at 44–42–4 with Kentucky leading the series. The average score being Vanderbilt 17-Kentucky 15.6.[100]

Mississippi State

The Mississippi State-Kentucky series became a rivalry when the SEC assigned cross-divisional opponents. The Bulldogs (of the SEC West) and Wildcats (of the SEC East) were assigned to each other. They play every year which rotates between Lexington, Kentucky and Starkville, Mississippi. Mississippi State has won 8 of their last 10 vs. Kentucky. The series is tied 23–23.

All-time record vs. current SEC schools

Opponent Won Lost Tied Percentage Streak First Last
Alabama2371.063Lost 619172016
Arkansas430.571Lost 119982012
Auburn6261.197Lost 219342015
Florida18510.254Won 119172018
Georgia12562.186Lost 719392017
LSU16401.289Lost 219492014
Mississippi State23230.500Won 119142018
Missouri530.625Won 319652017
Mississippi14281.337Lost 119442017
South Carolina12171.417Won 519372018
Tennessee25799.261Won 118932017
Texas A&M120.333Lost 219522018
Vanderbilt44424.511Won 218962017
Totals 182 407 20 .315

All-Americans

Player Position Year Unanimous Consensus Selectors
Clyde JohnsonT1942NoNoAP
Bob GainT1949NoNoAll-Players, NY Sun, NEA
Bob GainT1950YesYesAP, UPI, INS, Camp, NEA, CP, FWAA-Look, AAB, FD, NYNews
Babe ParilliQB1950YesYesAP, INS, Camp, Colliers, NY News, Sporting News, AA
Babe ParilliQB1951YesYesUP, INS, Camp, NEA, CP, AAB, NY News, All-Player
Doug MoseleyC1951NoNoAP, FWAA-Look
Steve MeilingerDE1952NoNoAP, NEA, All-Player
Steve MeilingerDE1953NoNoNEA, Colliers, AAB
Ray CorrellDG1953NoNoFWAA-Look, Chicago Tribun
Howard SchnellenbergerDE1955NoYesAP
Lou MichaelsOT1956NoYesUPI, NA, Camp, Colliers,NY News
Lou MichaelsOT1957NoYesAP, NEA, Camp, FWAA-Look, Coaches, NY News, Sporting News
Irv GoodeC1961NoNoTime
Herschel TurnerT1963NoNoTime
Sam BallT1965NoYesUPI, NEA, Camp, FWAA-Look, Coaches, Time, Sporting New
Rodger BirdHB1965NoNoTime, NBC
Rick NortonQB1965NoNoTime, NBC
Elmore StephensTE1974NoNoTime
Rick NuzumC1974NoNoNEA
Warrant BryantT1976NoNoCamp, Coaches
Art StillDE1977NoYesAP, UPI, NEA, Coaches, FWAA, Camp, Sporting News, Football News
Mike PfeiferT1989NoNoFootball News, Mizlou
Tim CouchQB1998NoNoCamp, FWAA, AAF
James WhalenTE1999NoYesAP, Camp, FWAA, AAFF, CNN/SI, CBS SportsLine
Derek AbneyKR2002YesYesAP, FWAA, Camp, Sporting News, ESPN, CBS SportsLine, CNN/SI, College Football News
Glenn PakulakP2002NoNoCBS SportsLine
Randall CobbWR2010NoNoAP

First Team All-SEC

Year Player Position
1983Duece HowertonRunning Back
1993Marty MooreLinebacker
1994Melvin JohnsonFree Safety
1995Moe WilliamsHalf Back
1997John SchlarmanOffensive Guard
1998Kris ComstockOffensive Guard
1998Tim CouchQuarterback
1998Craig YeastWide Receiver
1999Andy SmithPunter
1999Jeff SnedegarLinebacker
1999James WhalenTight End
2000Derek SmithTight End
2000Omar SmithOffensive Tackle
2001Derek AbneyKick Returner
2001Dennis JohnsonDefensive End
2001Glenn PakulakPunter
2002Derek AbneyKick Returner
2002Antonio HallOffensive Tackle
2002Glenn PakulakPunter
2002Artose PinnerRunning Back
2003Derek AbneyKick Returner
2003Antonio HallOffensive Tackle
2005Rafael LittleAll-Purpose
2006Keenan BurtonAll-Purpose
2006Jacob TammeTight End
2006Wesley WoodyardLinebacker
2007Jacob TammeTight End
2007Wesley WoodyardLinebacker
2008Micah JohnsonLinebacker
2008Trevard LindleyDefensive Back
2008Tim MasthayPunter
2009Randall CobbAll-Purpose
2010Randall CobbAll-Purpose
2010Danny TrevathanLinebacker
2011Danny TrevathanLinebacker
2014Alvin DupreeDefensive End
2014Landon FosterPunter
2016Jon TothCenter
2017Benny Snell Jr.Running Back

Current players in the National Football League

The following is a list of Kentucky players in the NFL.

Pos. Name Height Weight Hometown Draft Year Round Overall Current NFL Team
WR Randall Cobb 5'11" 190 lbs. Alcoa, TN 2011 2 64th Green Bay
LB Bud Dupree 6'4" 270 lbs. Irwinton, GA 2015 1 22nd Pittsburgh
LB Josh Forrest 6'4" 240 lbs. Paducah, KY 2016 6 190th Free Agent
DB Winston Guy 6'1" 218 lbs. Lexington, KY 2012 6 181st Free Agent
WR Steve Johnson 6'3" 210 lbs. San Francisco, CA 2008 7 229th Free Agent
DT Corey Peters 6'3" 295 lbs. Louisville, KY 2010 3 83rd Arizona
DE Za'Darius Smith 6'6" 265 lbs. Greenville, AL 2015 4 122nd Baltimore
LB Danny Trevathan 6'1" 235 lbs. Leesburg, FL 2012 6 188th Chicago
OG Larry Warford 6'3" 332 lbs. Richmond, KY 2013 3 65th New Orleans
LB Avery Williamson 6'1" 238 lbs. Milan, TN 2014 5 151st New York Jets
LB Wesley Woodyard 6'1" 230 lbs. LaGrange, GA 2008 UD – Tennessee

Hall of Famers

Pro

Two Kentucky players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Inductee Position Class Team and Career
George Blanda Quarterback
Placekicker		 1981 Chicago Bears, 1949, 1950–58
Baltimore Colts, 1950
Houston Oilers, 1960–66
Oakland Raiders, 1967–75
Dermontti Dawson Center 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1988–2000

College

Seven Kentucky Wildcat individuals have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Inductee Position Class Career
Art Still Defensive End 2015 1974–1977
Paul "Bear" Bryant Head Coach 1986 1946–53
Jerry Claiborne Head Coach 1999 1982–89
Bob Gain Guard
Tackle		 1980 1947–1950
Steve Meilinger Defensive Line 2013 1951–53
Lou Michaels Tackle 1992 1955–57
Babe Parilli Quarterback 1982 1949–51

Individual award winners

Outland Trophy

Wuerffel Trophy

  • Courtney Love – 2017

University of Kentucky 100th Anniversary Team

Chosen in 1990 by Kentucky Newspapers

Retired numbers

Future opponents and schedules

2019 Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResult
August 31Toledo*
September 7Eastern Michigan*
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY
September 14Florida
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY
September 21at Mississippi State
September 28at South Carolina
October 12Arkansas
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY
October 19at Georgia
October 26Missouri
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY
November 9Tennessee
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
November 16at Vanderbilt
November 23UT Martin*
  • Kroger Field
  • Lexington, KY
November 30Louisville*
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time


Conference and non-conference opponents

SEC West opponents

Kentucky plays Mississippi State as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the West division among the other six schools.[101]

YearAlabamaAuburnArkansasLSUMississippi StateMississippiTexas A&M
2019HOMEAWAY
2020AWAYHOME
2021HOMEAWAY
2022HOMEAWAY
2023HOMEAWAY
2024AWAYHOME
2025AWAYHOME

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of May 23, 2018[102]

20192020202120222023
8/31 – Toledo9/5 – Eastern Michigan9/4 – Louisiana-Monroe9/3 – Miami (OH)9/2 – Ball State
9/7 – Eastern Michigan9/19 – Kent State9/18 – Akron9/17 – Youngstown State9/9 – Eastern Kentucky
11/23 – UT Martin10/10 – Eastern Illinois11/20 – Chattanooga9/24 – Northern Illinois9/16 – at Akron
11/30 – Louisville11/28 – at Louisville11/27 – Louisville11/26 – at Louisville11/25 – Louisville

References

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  3. ↑ Primary Color Palette (PDF). University of Kentucky Athletics Brand Identity Guidelines. February 5, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
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