The 1998 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Hal Mumme, the Wildcats compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference place, placing fourth in the SEC's Eastern Division. Kentucky was invited to the Outback Bowl, where the Wildcats lost to Penn State. The team played home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
Quarterback Tim Couch was the first overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. Couch led Kentucky to on the road at No. 21 LSU. In the Outback Bowl, he completed 30 of 48 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. The Wildcats beat Louisville to claim the Governor's Cup.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 5 | 3:00 pm | at Louisville* | | FSN | W 68–34 | 42,643 | [1] |
September 12 | 1:30 pm | Eastern Kentucky* | | | W 52–7 | 57,776 | [2] |
September 19 | 1:30 pm | Indiana* | - Commonwealth Stadium
- Lexington, KY (rivalry)
| | W 31–27 | 57,788 | [3] |
September 26 | 3:30 pm | at No. 8 Florida | | CBS | L 35–51 | 85,011 | [4] |
October 3 | 6:00 pm | at No. 22 Arkansas | | ESPN2 | L 20–27 | 55,782 | [5] |
October 10 | 7:00 pm | South Carolina | - Commonwealth Stadium
- Lexington, KY
| | W 33–28 | 57,739 | [6] |
October 17 | 9:00 pm | at No. 21 LSU | | ESPN2 | W 39–36 | 80,524 | [7] |
October 24 | 12:30 pm | No. 11 Georgia | - Commonwealth Stadium
- Lexington, KY
| JPS | L 26–28 | 57,838 | [8] |
November 7 | 6:00 pm | Mississippi State | - Commonwealth Stadium
- Lexington, KY
| ESPN2 | W 37–35 | 57,760 | [9] |
November 14 | 1:30 pm | Vanderbilt | - Commonwealth Stadium
- Lexington, KY (rivalry)
| | W 55–17 | 57,521 | [10] |
November 21 | 12:30 pm | at No. 1 Tennessee | | CBS | L 21–59 | 107,252 | [11] |
January 1 | 11:00 am | vs. No. 20 Penn State* | | ESPN | L 14–26 | 66,005 | [12] |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
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Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
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AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — |
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Coaches | RV | RV | RV | 25 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | RV | RV | — | RV |
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BCS | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
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Roster
1998 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
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Players
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Coaches
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
10
|
Seth Hanson
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So
|
P
|
18
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Jimmy Carter
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Sr
|
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Mike Leach – Offensive coordinator/wide receivers
- Chris Hatcher – Quarterbacks
- Tony Franklin – Running backs
- Mike Fanoga – Tight ends/assistant offensive line
- Guy Morriss – Offensive line/assistant head coach
- Mike Major – Defensive coordinator/linebackers
- Bob Brush – Defensive assistant
- Tom Adams – Defensive line
- Darrell Patterson – Safeties
- Tim Keane – Cornerbacks
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
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1999 NFL draft
[13]
References
- ^ "Couch means ouch for Cards". Messenger-Inquirer. September 6, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Clay, John (September 13, 1998). "Cats cream Colonels 52–7". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Whitmire, Tim (September 20, 1998). "Cats escape Indiana, 31-27". Messenger-Inquirer. Associated Press. p. 1B. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida outguns Kentucky, Couch 51–35". Messenger-Inquirer. September 27, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Aw, Nutts! Hogs overtake 'Cats". The Paducah Sun. October 4, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Balanced attack lifts Kentucky over South Carolina". The Charlotte Observer. October 11, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wildcats nip LSU". Daily World. October 18, 1998. Retrieved July 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Botched kick snaps Couch's final march". The Paducah Sun. October 25, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "MSU falls short against 'Cats". The Greenwood Commonwealth. November 8, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "If it was a farewell, it was a doozy". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 15, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Top-ranked Vols wallop flat Wildcats". Messenger-Inquirer. November 22, 1998. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Paterno has plenty of time, but Couch doesn't". The Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1999. Retrieved October 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1999 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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National championship seasons in bold |