The 2023 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats were led by Mark Stoops in his 11th year as their head coach. The Kentucky football team played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky. The Kentucky Wildcats football team drew an average home attendance of 60,939 in 2023.

This was the final year for the SEC's East–West divisional setup, as Texas and Oklahoma joined the conference in 2024.

Schedule

Coaching staff Mark Stoops Head coach 11th Vince Marrow Associate head coach/tight ends coach 11th Liam Coen Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach 2nd Brad White Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach 5th Jay BoulwareRunning backs coach 1st Mike Stoops Inside linebackers coach2nd Frank Buffano Safeties coach 4th Chris Collins Defensive backs coach 3rd Zach Yenser Offensive line coach 2nd Scott Woodward Wide receivers coach3rd Anwar Stewart Defensive line coach 4th Mark Hill Strength and conditioning 8thReference:

Game summaries

Ball State

Statistics BALLUK First downs 18 17 Total yards 71–295 51–354 Rushing yards 41–72 20–113 Passing yards 223 241 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–30–0 18–31–1 Time of possession 38:16 21:44 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 15/21, 165 yards, TD Rushing Marquez Cooper 15 carries, 33 yards Receiving Ty Robinson 5 receptions, 90 yards, TD Kentucky Passing Devin Leary 18/31, 241 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 14 carries, 112 yards, 2 TD Receiving Dane Key 5 receptions, 96 yards, TD

Eastern Kentucky

Statistics EKUUK First downs 15 20 Total yards 56–311 61–414 Rushing yards 27–92 23–115 Passing yards 219 299 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–29–1 24–38–1 Time of possession 27:53 32:07 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Kentucky Passing Parker McKinney 19/29, 219 yards, TD, INT Rushing Braedon Sloan 7 carries, 48 yards Receiving Bryant Johnson 2 receptions, 53 yardsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 24/38, 299 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 12 carries, 52 yards Receiving Tayvion Robinson 6 receptions, 136 yards, 2 TD

Akron

Statistics AKRUK First downs 16 18 Total yards 66–239 48–450 Rushing yards 25–49 22–135 Passing yards 190 315 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 29–41–0 16–26–1 Time of possession 34:47 25:13 Team Category Player StatisticsAkron Passing DJ Irons 23/34, 130 yards Rushing Lorenzo Lingard 7 carries, 30 yards Receiving Jasaiah Gathings 5 receptions, 43 yards Kentucky Passing Devin Leary 16/25, 315 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 7 carries, 72 yards, TD Receiving Ray Davis 3 receptions, 97 yards, TD

at Vanderbilt (rivalry)

Statistics UKVAN First downs 18 20 Total yards 60–365 74–328 Rushing yards 31–160 27–97 Passing yards 205 231 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–29–2 20–47–4 Time of possession 31:11 28:49 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 15/29, 205 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ray Davis 17 carries, 78 yards, 2 TD Receiving Barion Brown 4 receptions, 105 yards Vanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 16/40, 189 yards, 3 INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 8 carries, 37 yards, TD Receiving Gamarion Carter 2 receptions, 48 yards

No. 22 Florida (rivalry)

Statistics FLAUK First downs 15 23 Total yards 59–313 56–398 Rushing yards 29–69 36–329 Passing yards 244 69 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–30–1 9–20–0 Time of possession 31:14 28:46 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 25/30, 244 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 10 carries, 42 yards Receiving Ricky Pearsall 3 receptions, 62 yards, TDKentucky Passing Devin Leary 9/20, 69 yards, TD Rushing Ray Davis 26 carries, 280 yards, 3 TD Receiving Barion Brown 4 receptions, 37 yards

at No. 1 Georgia

Statistics UKUGA First downs 12 33 Total yards 50–183 73–608 Rushing yards 24–55 31–173 Passing yards 128 435 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–26–0 33–42–1 Time of possession 22:32 37:28 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 10/26, 128 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ray Davis 15 carries, 59 yards Receiving Dane Key 3 receptions, 65 yards Georgia Passing Carson Beck 28/35, 389 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Daijun Edwards 9 carries, 54 yards Receiving Brock Bowers 7 receptions, 132 yards, TD

Missouri

Statistics MIZZUK First downs 19 19 Total yards 68–324 58–299 Rushing yards 38–118 31–179 Passing yards 206 120 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–30–1 14–27–2 Time of possession 31:07 28:53 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 19–29, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Cody Schrader 20 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD Receiving Theo Wease Jr. 6 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TDKentucky Passing Devin Leary 14–27, 120 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ray Davis 20 carries, 128 yards Receiving Justice Dingle 2 receptions, 32 yards

No. 21 Tennessee (rivalry)

Statistics TENNUK First downs 24 24 Total yards 67–481 63–444 Rushing yards 47–254 24–72 Passing yards 227 372 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–20–0 28–39–0 Time of possession 26:56 33:04 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee Passing Joe Milton III 17/20, 227 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jaylen Wright 11 carries, 120 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dont'e Thornton Jr. 3 receptions, 63 yardsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 28/39, 372 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ray Davis 16 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dane Key 7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD

at Mississippi State

Statistics UKMSST First downs 13 15 Total yards 54–271 66–218 Rushing yards 29–110 31–73 Passing yards 161 145 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–25–0 17–35–1 Time of possession 30:38 29:22 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 13/22, 156 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ray Davis 21 carries, 80 yards Receiving Tayvion Robinson 5 receptions, 91 yardsMississippi State Passing Mike Wright 11/21, 78 yards, INT Rushing Seth Davis 4 carries, 24 yards Receiving Zavion Thomas 6 receptions, 44 yards

No. 8 Alabama

Statistics ALAUK First downs 23 11 Total yards 64–444 55–253 Rushing yards 39–159 24–95 Passing yards 285 158 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–25–1 17–31–1 Time of possession 32:06 27:54 Team Category Player StatisticsAlabama Passing Jalen Milroe 15/22, 234 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jase McClellan 9 carries, 43 yards Receiving Kobe Prentice 4 receptions, 74 yards, TD Kentucky Passing Devin Leary 17/31, 158 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ramon Jefferson 2 carries, 73 yards Receiving Dane Key 4 receptions, 46 yards

at South Carolina

Statistics UKSC First downs 17 17 Total yards 293 257 Rushing yards 122 50 Passing yards 171 207 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–34–1 19–27–0 Time of possession 28:21 31:39 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 17/34, 171 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 12 carries, 61 yards, TD Receiving Dane Key 4 receptions, 51 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 19/27, 207 yards, 2 TD Rushing Mario Anderson 13 carries, 27 yards Receiving Xavier Legette 6 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TD

at No. 10 Louisville (rivalry)

Statistics UKLOU First downs 16 23 Total yards 47–289 76–403 Rushing yards 25–83 43–161 Passing yards 206 242 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–22–1 24–33–1 Time of possession 23:26 36:34 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 12/22, 206 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Ray Davis 14 carries, 76 yards, TD Receiving Izayah Cummings 1 reception, 55 yards Louisville Passing Jack Plummer 24/33, 242 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jawhar Jordan 17 carries, 67 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jamari Thrash 6 receptions, 60 yards

vs. No. 22 Clemson (Gator Bowl)

Statistics CLEMUK First downs 24 12 Total yards 80–367 51–398 Rushing yards 39–103 23–92 Passing yards 264 306 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–41–1 16–28–2 Time of possession 34:58 25:02 Team Category Player StatisticsClemson Passing Cade Klubnik 30/41, 264 yards, INT Rushing Phil Mafah 11 carries, 71 yards, 4 TD Receiving Jake Briningstool 9 receptions, 91 yardsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 16/28, 306 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ray Davis 13 carries, 63 yards, TD Receiving Barion Brown 3 receptions, 100 yards, TD

Rankings

References