Year: | 1958 |
Team: | Kentucky Wildcats |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
Short Conf: | SEC |
Record: | 5–4–1 |
Conf Record: | 3–4–1 |
Head Coach: | Blanton Collier |
Hc Year: | 5th |
Stadium: | McLean Stadium |
The 1958 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1958 college football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Blanton Collier, the Wildcats compiled an overall record of 5–4–1 with a mark of 3–4–1 in conference play, placing tied for sixth in the SEC.[1]
Kentucky opened with a 51–0 win over Hawaii at Fairgrounds Stadium in Louisville. A 13–0 win in the SEC opener against Georgia Tech followed. 2–0 Kentucky, then ranked #17 in the AP poll,[2] then lost four games in a row: 27–6 to #9 Ole Miss in Memphis, 8–0 to #1 Auburn, 32–7 at #9 LSU and 28–0 at Georgia. A 33–12 win over Mississippi State was followed by a 0–0 tie against Vanderbilt. After a 20–6 win against Xavier, Kentucky closed the season with a 6–2 victory at Tennessee.[3] [4]
The victory over Tennessee was Kentucky's second in a row, and second in a stretch of four games in which Kentucky denied Tennessee a win.[5] The Wildcats were invited to participate in the 1958 Bluegrass Bowl but declined due to what they considered to be poor treatment during their season opener, a win against Hawaii in the stadium in which the Bluegrass Bowl would be played.[6] Florida State and Oklahoma State played in the 1958 Bluegrass Bowl instead.
Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
Jim Bowie | Tackle | 22 | 254 | Philadelphia Eagles |