The 2018 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by sixth-year head coach Mark Stoops.
The season was one of the most successful in Kentucky's history. In Kentucky's second game of the season, the team ended the then-longest current losing streak in an uninterrupted series in FBS when they defeated Florida for the first time since 1986, and the first time in Gainesville since 1979, ending a losing streak of 31 games. Two weeks later, the Wildcats upset No. 14 Mississippi State, and entered the AP Poll for the first time since 2007. Kentucky ended the regular season tied for second in the SEC East Division with a conference record of 5–3. They were invited to the Citrus Bowl, where they defeated No. 13 Penn State, their first bowl win since 2008. Kentucky ended the season with a record of 10–3 and were ranked 12th in the final AP Poll, the most wins and highest poll finish for the program since 1977.
The team's highly touted defense was anchored by unanimous All-American linebacker Josh Allen, who was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and led the conference in sacks and tackles for loss. Allen won several national awards for defensive excellence, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Lott Trophy; he became the first Kentucky player to receive any of these awards. On offense, the team was led by first-team All-SEC running back Benny Snell, who finished second in the conference in rushing with 1,449 yards and 16 touchdowns. Offensive lineman Bunchy Stallings was also named first-team all-conference. Quarterback Terry Wilson led the team in passing, finishing with 1,889 yards and 11 touchdowns. Head coach Mark Stoops was named SEC Coach of the Year.
Offseason Spring game The spring game took place on April 13 at Kroger Field.
Date Time Spring Game Site TV Result Attendance April 13 6:30 p.m. Blue vs. White Kroger Field • Lexington, KY SECN Blue 45, White 32 36,090
Departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Drew Barker #7 QB 6'3" 222 Junior Orlando, FL Retired Stephen Johnson #15 QB 6'2" 195 Senior Rancho Cucamonga, California Graduated Blake Bone #6 WR 6'5" 213 Senior Woodruff, South Carolina Graduated Garrett Johnson #9 WR 5'11" 175 Senior Winter Park, Florida Graduated Kayaune Ross #19 WR 6'6" 225 Senior West Chester, Ohio Graduated Charles Walker #88 WR 5'11" 203 Senior Louisville, Kentucky Graduated Greg Hart #85 TE 6'5" 245 Senior Dayton, Ohio Graduated Kyle Meadows #73 OT 6'5" 300 Senior West Chester, Ohio Graduated Nick Haynes #68 OG 6'3" 300 Senior Niceville, Florida Graduated Matt Elam #69 DT 6'7" 360 Senior Elizabethtown, Kentucky Graduated Jacob Hyde #36 DT 6'2" 320 Senior Manchester, Kentucky Graduated Naquez Pringle #77 DT 6'3" 320 Senior Georgetown, South Carolina Graduated Denzil Ware #35 DE 6'2" 240 Junior Opp, Alabama Transferred to Jacksonville State Eli Brown #32 LB 6'2" 208 Sophomore Bowling Green, Kentucky Transferred to Western Kentucky Bryant Koback #24 RB 6'0" 200 Freshman Holland, Ohio Transferred to Toledo Courtney Love #51 LB 6'2" 245 Senior Youngstown, Ohio Graduated Kendall Randolph #5 DB 6'0" 183 Senior Tallahassee, Florida Graduated Marcus Walker #16 DB 6'1" 208 Junior Lake Wales, Florida Kicked off team Austin MacGinnis #99 K 5'10" 172 Senior Wedowee, Alabama Graduated
2018 signing class
The 2018 football recruiting cycle was the first in which the NCAA authorized two signing periods for high school seniors in that sport. In addition to the traditional spring period starting with National Signing Day on February 7, 2018, a new early signing period was introduced, with the first such period falling from December 20–22, 2017.
Notably, the Wildcats did not sign a single in-state player in their 2018 class—the first time this had happened since 1940.
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Lott TrophyJosh AllenLBSRChuck Bednarik AwardJosh AllenLBSRMike EdwardsSSRMaxwell AwardBenny SnellRBJRDoak Walker AwardBenny SnellRBJRJohn Mackey AwardC. J. ConradTESRButkus AwardJosh AllenLBJRJim Thorpe AwardMike EdwardsSSRBronko Nagurski TrophyMike EdwardsSSRPaul Hornung AwardLynn BowdenWR/KRSOWuerffel TrophyC. J. ConradTESRWalter Camp AwardBenny SnellRBJR
SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018, with the Wildcats predicted to finish in fifth place in the East Division.
Preseason All-SEC teams The Wildcats had four players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.
Offense
1st team
Benny Snell – RB
3rd team
C. J. Conrad – TE
Defense
2nd team
Josh Allen – LB
Mike Edwards – DB
Schedule
Personnel
Coaching staff Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops enters his sixth season as the Wildcat's head coach for the 2018 season. During his previous five seasons he led the Wildcats to an overall record of 26 wins and 36 losses.
Mark Stoops Head coach 6th Eddie GranOffensive coordinator 3rd Darin Hinshaw Co-Offensive coordinator, Quarterbacks 3rd Matt House Defensive coordinator, Inside Linebackers 2nd Michael Smith Wide receivers 1st Vince Marrow Tight ends, recruiting coordinator 6th John Schlarman Offensive line 6th Derrick LeBlanc Defensive line 2nd Steve Clinkscale Defensive backs 3rd Dean Hood Special teams, outside linebackers 2nd Corey Edmond Director of performance 2ndReference:
Roster
Game summaries
Central Michigan
At No. 25 Florida
This was Kentucky's first win over Florida since 1986.
Murray State
No. 14 Mississippi State
South Carolina
At Texas A&M
Vanderbilt
At Missouri
No. 6 Georgia
At Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
At Louisville
Vs. Penn State (Citrus Bowl)
Rankings
Players drafted into the NFL
Kentucky had five players selected in the 2019 NFL draft.
1 7 Josh Allen LB Jacksonville Jaguars 2 54 Lonnie Johnson Jr. CB Houston Texans 3 99 Mike Edwards S Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 122 Benny Snell RB Pittsburgh Steelers 7 232 George Asafo-Adjei OG New York Giants
References