The 2020 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, and competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by eighth-year head coach Mark Stoops.
Preseason
SEC Media Days In the preseason media poll, Kentucky was predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.
Schedule Kentucky had games scheduled against Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and Louisville, which were all canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first season since 1993 that the Wildcats did not play Louisville. As of on October 16, 2020, the SEC swapped two teams and the dates of when they played the Wildcats. This is because of an outbreak of COVID-19 among other competing SEC football teams. Missouri was rescheduled to be an away game on October 24, instead of an away game on the 31st, and Georgia at home on October 31 instead of the 24th.
Rankings
Game summaries
At Auburn
Ole Miss
Statistics MISSUK First downs 26 26 Total yards 459 559 Passing yards 320 151 Rushing yards 139 408 Penalties 5–33 8–81 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 23:55 36:05 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Matt Corral 24/29, 320 yards, 4 TD Rushing Matt Corral 13 carries, 51 yards Receiving Jonathan Mingo 8 receptions, 128 yards, 2 TDKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 14/18, 151 yards Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 17 carries, 133 yards, 2 TD Receiving Josh Ali 7 receptions, 88 yards
Mississippi State
Statistics MSSTUK First downs 18 10 Total yards 295 157 Rushing yards 20 84 Passing yards 275 73 Turnovers 6 1 Time of possession 34:49 25:11 Team Category Player StatisticsMississippi State Passing K. J. Costello 36–55, 232 yards, 4 INT Rushing Kylin Hill 7 rushes, 17 yards Receiving Kylin Hill 15 receptions, 79 yardsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 8–20, 73 yards, TD Rushing Terry Wilson 13 rushes, 50 yards Receiving Josh Ali 2 receptions, 22 yards
At Tennessee
Statistics UKUTK First downs 18 18 Total yards 294 287 Rushing yards 187 175 Passing yards 107 112 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 33:59 26:01 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 12/15, 101 yards, TD Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 13 carries, 73 yards, TD Receiving Josh Ali 4 receptions, 38 yardsTennessee Passing Jarrett Guarantano 14/21, 88 yards, 2 INT Rushing Eric Gray 24 carries, 129 yards Receiving Brandon Johnson 4 receptions, 37 yards
At Missouri
Statistics UKMIZ First downs 8 26 Total yards 145 421 Rushing yards 95 220 Passing yards 50 201 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 16:50 43:10 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 4/11, 38 yards, TD Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 9 carries, 48 yards Receiving Josh Ali 4 receptions, 47 yards, TDMissouri Passing Connor Bazelak 21/30, 201 yards Rushing Larry Rountree III 37 carries, 126 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jalen Knox 5 receptions, 60 yards
Georgia
Vanderbilt
Statistics VANUK First downs 29 23 Total yards 407 458 Rushing yards 180 308 Passing yards 227 150 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:26 27:34 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 21/32, 225 yards, 2 TD Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 29 rushes, 121 yards Receiving Amir Abdur-Rahman 7 receptions, 89 yardsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 13/15, 110 yards, 2 TD Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 13 rushes, 149 yards, 2 TD Receiving Keaton Upshaw 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD
At Alabama
Statistics KentuckyAlabama First downs 12 29 Total yards 179 509 Rushing yards 59 226 Passing yards 120 283 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 28:55 31:05 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 10–19, 120 yards, 1 INT Rushing A. J. Rose 10 carries, 68 yards Receiving Josh Ali 4 receptions, 52 yardsAlabama Passing Mac Jones 16–24, 230 yards, 2 TD's, 1 INT Rushing Jase McClellan 10 carries, 99 yards, 1 TD Receiving DeVonta Smith 9 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TD's
At Florida
Statistics UTKFLA First downs 15 21 Total yards 221 418 Rushing yards 159 104 Passing yards 62 314 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 33:19 26:41 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 10/18, 62 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing A. J. Rose 15 carries, 58 yards Receiving Josh Ali 6 receptions, 32 yardsFlorida Passing Kyle Trask 21/27, 256 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dameon Pierce 8 carries, 67 yards Receiving Kyle Pitts 5 receptions, 99 yards, 3 TD
South Carolina
Statistics SCUK First downs 21 24 Total yards 404 492 Rushes/yards 44/297 45/291 Passing yards 107 201 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12-27-1 17-26-0 Time of possession 25:49 34:11 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Luke Doty 11–25, 85 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kevin Harris 21 carries, 210 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dakereon Joyner 4 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD Kentucky Passing Terry Wilson 17–26, 201 yards Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 14 carries, 139 yards, 3 TD Receiving Justin Rigg 3 receptions, 72 yards
Vs. NC State (Gator Bowl)
Players drafted into the NFL
1 19 Jamin Davis LB Washington Football Team 2 44 Kelvin Joseph CB Dallas Cowboys 6 192 Quinton Bohanna DT Dallas Cowboys 6 200 Brandin Echols CB New York Jets 6 206 Landon Young OT New Orleans Saints 7 232 Phil Hoskins DT Carolina Panthers
References