2023 Kentucky Wildcats football team explained

Year:	2023
Team:	Kentucky Wildcats
Sport:	football
Conference:	Southeastern Conference
Division:	East Division
Short Conf:	SEC
Record:	7–6
Conf Record:	3–5
Head Coach:	Mark Stoops
Hc Year:	11th
Off Coach:	Liam Coen
Oc Year:	2nd overall
Off Scheme:	Multiple pro-style
Def Coach:	Brad White
Dc Year:	5th
Def Scheme:	3–4 or 4–3
Stadium:	Kroger Field
Bowl:	Gator Bowl
Bowl Result:	L 35–38 vs. Clemson

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.

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

Schedule

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Coaching staff

Name	Position	Years at Kentucky
		11th
	Associate head coach/tight ends coach	11th
		2nd
Brad White	Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach	5th
Jay Boulware		align=center	1st
	Inside linebackers coach	2nd
Frank Buffano	Safeties coach	4th
Chris Collins	Defensive backs coach	3rd
Zach Yenser	Offensive line coach	2nd
Scott Woodward	Wide receivers coach	3rd
		4th
Mark Hill	Strength and conditioning	8th
Reference:

Game summaries

Ball State

See also: 2023 Ball State Cardinals football team.

Statistics	BALL	UK
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	Statistics
Ball State	Passing	Kadin Semonza	15/21, 165 yards, TD
Rushing		15 carries, 33 yards
Receiving	Ty Robinson	5 receptions, 90 yards, TD
Kentucky	Passing		18/31, 241 yards, TD, INT
Rushing		14 carries, 112 yards, 2 TD
Receiving		5 receptions, 96 yards, TD

Eastern Kentucky

See also: 2023 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team.

Statistics	EKU	UK
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	Statistics
Eastern Kentucky	Passing	Parker McKinney	19/29, 219 yards, TD, INT
Rushing	Braedon Sloan	7 carries, 48 yards
Receiving	Bryant Johnson	2 receptions, 53 yards
Kentucky	Passing		24/38, 299 yards, 4 TD, INT
Rushing		12 carries, 52 yards
Receiving		6 receptions, 136 yards, 2 TD

Akron

See also: 2023 Akron Zips football team.

Statistics	AKR	UK
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	Statistics
Akron	Passing		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)

See also: 2023 Vanderbilt Commodores football team.

Statistics	UK	VAN
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	Statistics
Kentucky	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		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)

See also: 2023 Florida Gators football team.

Statistics	FLA	UK
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	Statistics
Florida	Passing	Graham Mertz	25/30, 244 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing		10 carries, 42 yards
Receiving	Ricky Pearsall	3 receptions, 62 yards, TD
Kentucky	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

See also: 2023 Georgia Bulldogs football team.

Statistics	UK	UGA
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	Statistics
Kentucky	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		28/35, 389 yards, 4 TD, INT
Rushing		9 carries, 54 yards
Receiving		7 receptions, 132 yards, TD

Missouri

See also: 2023 Missouri Tigers football team.

Statistics	MIZZ	UK
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	Statistics
Missouri	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 TD
Kentucky	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)

See also: 2023 Tennessee Volunteers football team.

Statistics	TENN	UK
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	Statistics
Tennessee	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 yards
Kentucky	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

See also: 2023 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team.

Statistics	UK	MSST
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	Statistics
Kentucky	Passing	Devin Leary	13/22, 156 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Ray Davis	21 carries, 80 yards
Receiving	Tayvion Robinson	5 receptions, 91 yards
Mississippi State	Passing		11/21, 78 yards, INT
Rushing	Seth Davis	4 carries, 24 yards
Receiving	Zavion Thomas	6 receptions, 44 yards

No. 8 Alabama

See also: 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide football team.

Statistics	ALA	UK
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	Statistics
Alabama	Passing		15/22, 234 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing		9 carries, 43 yards
Receiving		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

See also: 2023 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.

Statistics	UK	SC
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	Statistics
Kentucky	Passing	Devin Leary	17/34, 171 yards, TD, INT
Rushing	Ray Davis	12 carries, 61 yards, TD
Receiving	Dane Key	4 receptions, 51 yards
South Carolina	Passing		19/27, 207 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Mario Anderson	13 carries, 27 yards
Receiving		6 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TD

at No. 10 Louisville (rivalry)

See also: 2023 Louisville Cardinals football team.

Statistics	UK	LOU
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	Statistics
Kentucky	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		6 receptions, 60 yards

vs. No. 22 Clemson (Gator Bowl)

See also: 2023 Clemson Tigers football team.

Statistics	CLEM	UK
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	Statistics
Clemson	Passing	Cade Klubnik	30/41, 264 yards, INT
Rushing	Phil Mafah	11 carries, 71 yards, 4 TD
Receiving		9 receptions, 91 yards
Kentucky	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

Notes and References

1. Web site: . Kentucky Wildcats Schedule 2023 . . December 25, 2023 .
2. Web site: . 2023 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results . College Football @ Sports-Reference.com . . December 25, 2023 .
3. Web site: . 2023 Football Schedule . . December 25, 2023 .