Surf Wiki
Save to docs
sports

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team

American college football season

American college football season

FieldValue
sportfootball
year1996
teamKentucky Wildcats
imageKentucky Wildcats logo (1984-2005).png
image_size100
conferenceSoutheastern Conference
divisionEastern Division
short_confSEC
record4–7
conf_record3–5
head_coachBill Curry
hc_year7th
off_coachElliot Uzelac
oc_year2nd
off_schemeMultiple
def_coachRick Smith
dc_year1st
def_scheme[4–3](4-3-defense)
stadiumCommonwealth Stadium

The 1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Wildcats scored 138 points while allowing 322 points; they opened the season with 1 win and 6 losses, and then after the firing of head coach Bill Curry was announced, the Wildcats won three straight SEC games before losing their final game to finish 4–7.

Kentucky opened with a 38–14 loss to Louisville, then lost 24–3 at Cincinnati due to repeated special teams breakdowns. A game in a driving rainstorm against Indiana remained a scoreless tie until the final seconds when a Kentucky field goal led to a 3–0 win. A 65–0 loss at Florida and 35–7 loss at Alabama were followed by Kentucky blowing a second half lead to lose 25–14 to South Carolina. After a 41–14 loss at LSU, Kentucky stood at 1–5 on the season and the firing of head coach Bill Curry was announced. The Wildcats responded by reeling off three victories in a row: 24–17 against Georgia, 24–21 against Mississippi State and 25–0 against Vanderbilt. A 56–10 loss to Tennessee ended the season with the Wildcats at 4–7.

Kentucky's victories over Georgia and Mississippi State kept those two teams out of bowl games, as each finished 5–6 due to their losses to Kentucky. Kentucky's 25–0 shutout of Vanderbilt on November 16 was the team's first shutout since a 21–0 win against #25 Ole Miss on October 2, 1993. Kentucky played four road games against ranked teams in 1996. Kentucky's three game SEC win streak (Georgia, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt) was its first since 1993 (South Carolina, Ole Miss, LSU). This was the first college season for highly touted freshman quarterback Tim Couch, who later went on to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and was the #1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft.

Schedule

|{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l

Roster

  • Bill Curry ()

  • Elliot Uzelac Offensive Coordinator

  • Rick Smith Defensive Coordinator

Team players in the 1997 NFL draft

Main article: 1997 NFL draft

Postseason

Leading rusher Derick Logan, the SEC Freshman Player of the Year, did not return. Head coach Bill Curry was replaced by Hal Mumme. Sometime-starting quarterback Billy Jack Haskins transferred to Rhode Island after Mumme announced that Tim Couch would take the starting spot.

References

References

  1. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats results". jhowell.net.
  2. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  3. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  4. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.ent.
  5. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  6. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.ent.
  7. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
  8. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  9. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.net.
  10. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide
  11. (September 1, 1996). "Red alert, Cardinals expose Cats' weakness in 38–14 victory". The Advocate-Messenger.
  12. (September 8, 1996). "Lifeless Kentucky gets 24–3 burial from Cincinnati". The Courier-Journal.
  13. (September 22, 1996). "Late field goal lifts Kentucky over IU". The Indianapolis Star.
  14. (September 29, 1996). "Florida has reason to crow". The Tennessean.
  15. (October 6, 1996). "UK no mystery to Riddle as Alabama erupts 35–7". The Courier-Journal.
  16. (October 13, 1996). "Gamecocks rally to beat Cats, 25–14". Messenger-Inquirer.
  17. (October 20, 1996). "Tigers trounce Wildcats 41–14". The Sun Herald.
  18. (October 27, 1996). "Kentucky beats Georgia behind lame-duck coach". The Greenville News.
  19. (November 10, 1996). "Tilghman alumni lead UK to 3rd win". The Paducah Sun.
  20. (November 17, 1996). "Kentucky ends drought against Vanderbilt 25–0". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  21. (November 24, 1996). "Tennessee rolls past Wildcats 56–10". The State Journal.
  22. "College Football Reference". jhowell.net.
  23. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
  24. [http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Kentucky.htm#1996 1996 Kentucky football scores] {{webarchive. link. (2009-10-06)
  25. "1997 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference.
  26. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.166
  27. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1996-southeastern-conference-football-season kentucky-wildcats-football-seasons 1996-in-sports-in-kentucky
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report