1998 Kentucky Wildcats football team

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1998 Kentucky Wildcats football
Outback Bowl, L 26–14 vs. Penn State
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Record7–5 (4–4 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Leach (2nd season)
Offensive schemeAir raid
Defensive coordinatorMike Major (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
Seasons
← 1997
1999 →
1998 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Division
No. 1 Tennessee x$#   8 0     13 0  
No. 5 Florida  %   7 1     10 2  
No. 14 Georgia   6 2     9 3  
Kentucky   4 4     7 5  
Vanderbilt   1 7     2 9  
South Carolina   0 8     1 10  
Western Division
Mississippi State xy   6 2     8 5  
No. 16 Arkansas x   6 2     9 3  
Alabama   4 4     7 5  
Ole Miss   3 5     7 5  
LSU   2 6     4 7  
Auburn   1 7     3 8  
Championship: Tennessee 24, Mississippi State 14
  • # – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1998 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. Quarterback Tim Couch was the first pick overall in the 1999 NFL Draft.

Season[edit]

Couch led Kentucky to seven wins, including a win on the road at #21 LSU and a spot in the 1999 Outback Bowl, where Couch completed 30 of 48 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns, though Kentucky lost to Penn State, 26–14. In the Kentucky–Louisville rivalry, the Wildcats beat the Cardinals to claim the Governor's Cup. In the Border Battle, Tennessee beat Kentucky by a score of 59–21 to claim the Beer Barrel.[1]

Schedule[edit]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 53:00 pmat Louisville*FSNW 68–3442,643
September 121:30 pmEastern Kentucky*W 52–757,776
September 191:30 pmIndiana*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, Kentucky (rivalry)
W 31–2757,788[2]
September 263:30 pmat No. 8 FloridaCBSL 35–5185,011
October 36:00 pmat No. 22 ArkansasESPN2L 20–2755,782
October 107:00 pmSouth Carolinadagger
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, Kentucky
W 33–2857,739
October 179:00 pmat No. 21 LSUESPN2W 39–3680,524
October 2412:30 pmNo. 11 Georgia
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, Kentucky
JPSL 26–2857,838
November 76:00 pmMississippi State
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, Kentucky
ESPN2W 37–3557,760
November 141:30 pmVanderbilt
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, Kentucky (rivalry)
W 55–1757,521
November 2112:30 pmat No. 1 TennesseeCBSL 21–59107,252
January 111:00 amvs. No. 20 Penn State*ESPNL 14–2666,005
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings[edit]

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
APRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRV
CoachesRVRVRV25RVRVRVRVRVRVRV25RVRVRV
BCSNot releasedNot released

Roster[edit]

1998 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 2 Tim Couch Jr
WR 3 Craig Yeast Sr
QB 16 Matt Mumme Sr
WR 25 Quentin McCord So
RB 32 Anthony White Jr
TE 85 James Whalen Jr
RB Artose Pinner Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 20 Eric Kelly So
LB 30 Marlon McCree So
DT Chris Demaree Fr
DE Dennis Johnson Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 10 Seth Hanson So
P 18 Jimmy Carter Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Mike LeachOffensive coordinator/wide receivers
  • Chris HatcherQuarterbacks
  • Tony FranklinRunning backs
  • Mike Fanoga – Tight ends/assistant offensive line
  • Guy MorrissOffensive line/assistant head coach
  • Mike MajorDefensive coordinator/linebackers
  • Bob BrushDefensive assistant
  • Tom Adams – Defensive line
  • Darrell Patterson – Safeties
  • Tim Keane – Cornerbacks

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

1999 NFL Draft[edit]

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Tim Couch Quarterback 1 1 Cleveland Browns

[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Mcubed.net : NCAA Football : Series Records : Tennessee vs. Kentucky".
  2. ^ Whitmire, Tim (September 20, 1998). "Cats escape Indiana, 31-27". Messenger-Inquirer. Associated Press. p. 1B. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1999 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.