2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team

2015 Kentucky Wildcats football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
	Eastern Division
2015 record	5–7 (2–6 SEC)
Head coach	Mark Stoops (3rd year)
Offensive coordinator	Shannon Dawson (1st year)
Offensive scheme	Air Raid
Defensive coordinator	D. J. Eliot (3rd year)
Base defense	3-4
Home stadium	Commonwealth Stadium (Capacity: 61,000)

2015 SEC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
#25 Florida x		7	–	1					10	–	4
#22 Tennessee		5	–	3					9	–	4
Georgia		5	–	3					10	–	3
Vanderbilt		2	–	6					4	–	8
Kentucky		2	–	6					5	–	7
Missouri		1	–	7					5	–	7
South Carolina		1	–	7					3	–	9
West Division
#1 Alabama x$#^		7	–	1					14	–	1
#10 Ole Miss		6	–	2					10	–	3
Arkansas		5	–	3					8	–	5
#16 LSU		5	–	3					9	–	3
Texas A&M		4	–	4					8	–	5
Mississippi State		4	–	4					9	–	4
Auburn		2	–	6					7	–	6
Championship: Alabama 29, Florida 15
# – College Football Playoff champion ^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team (variously "Kentucky", "UK", or "Wildcats") represents the University of Kentucky in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats compete in its 122nd season and 82nd as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as part of its Eastern Division. The team is led by head coach Mark Stoops, which is his third year coaching the team, and the Wildcats play its home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

After the completion of the 2014 season, the Wildcats signed one of their highest rated recruiting classes in February. They completed their spring practice in April.

Pre-season

Previous season

In 2014-2015, the Wildcats lost their final six games of the season after starting the season 5-1, completing their second year under Mark Stoops at 5-7 and 2-6 in the SEC (6th-East). They lost to in-state rival Louisville 40-44 to end the season, missing out on their fourth consecutive bowl game since the 2010-2011 season when they lost to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Personnel

Coaching staff

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops enters his third year as the Wildcat's head coach for the 2015 season. During his previous two seasons he led the Wildcats to an overall record of 7 wins and 17 losses. Despite the losing record, he doubled his win total from his first season to his second.

On November 30, 2014 Offensive Coordinator Neal Brown accepted the Head Coach position at Troy, where he was an assistant from 2006–2009.^[1][2] In his place Kentucky hired West Virginia Co-offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson on December 19, 2014.^[3][4]

Special Teams coach Craig Naivar accepted a position at Houston under his former colleague Tom Herman on December 18, 2014.^[5] The position he vacated was filled by California assistant Andy Buh on February 4, 2015.^[6] Stoops announced with Buh's hiring that the special teams would be a joint effort among multiple assistant coaches.^[6]

Name	Position	Consecutive season at Kentucky in current position
Mark Stoops	Head coach	3rd
Shannon Dawson	Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks	1st
D. J. Eliot	Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers	3rd
Derrick Ansley	Defensive backs	3rd
Jimmy Brumbaugh	Defensive Line	3rd
Andy Buh	Outside linebackers	1st
Tommy Mainord	Wide receivers	3rd
Vince Marrow	Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator	3rd
John Schlarman	Offensive Line	3rd
Chad Scott	Running backs	3rd
Erik Korem	Strength and Conditioning	3rd
Reference:

Transfers

Third string quarterback Maxwell Smith announced on January 11 that he would transfer to San Diego State for his senior season.^[7]

On January 14 running back Braylon Heard announced he would forgo his last season of eligibility and enter his name into the 2015 NFL Draft.^[8][9] Heard rushed for 366 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry in 2014.

On February 4 running back Josh Clemons announced he will transfer from the program in May after he receives his degree.^[10]

2015 signing class

Prior to National Signing Day on February 4, 2015, four players enrolled for the spring semester in order to participate in spring practice^[11] The early enrollments from high school included offensive lineman George Asafo-Adjei, tight end C.J. Conrad, defensive end Kengera Daniel, and linebacker Jordan Jones.^[11]

On National Signing Day, Alabama signed 18 additional players out of high school that completed the 2015 recruiting class. The class was highlighted by 2 players from the "ESPN 300": No. 214 Marcus Walker; and No. 244 Eli Brown.^[12] Kentucky signed a top-35 class according to Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com.^[13][14]

In addition to those signed as part of the 2015 class, on December 12, 2014 Nebraska transfers, tight end Greg Hart and linebacker Courtney Love, announced they would enroll and join Kentucky's football team.^[15] Due to health concerns of relatives, both players plan to apply for hardship waivers that would allow them to play in 2015 without sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.^[15]

2015 recruits
Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Josh Allen LB	Montclair, New Jersey	Montclair	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Jan 31, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
George Asafo-Adjei OL	West Chester, Ohio	Lakota West	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	310 lb (140 kg)	Jun 23, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Derrick Baity DB	Tampa, Florida	Plant	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Feb 3, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Kei Beckham DB	Dayton, Ohio	Trotwood Madison	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Jul 18, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Alvonte Bell DE	Miami, Florida	Pearl River Community College	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	260 lb (120 kg)	Feb 4, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Eli Brown LB	Bowling Green, Kentucky	Warren East	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Apr 21, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
C.J. Conrad TE	LaGrange, Ohio	Keystone	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	231 lb (105 kg)	May 9, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Kengera Daniel DE	Raleigh, North Carolina	Millbrook	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	250 lb (110 kg)	Oct 22, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Therrell Gosier WR	Pompano Beach, Florida	Blanche Ely	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Feb 4, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Jabari Greenwood WR	Washington D.C.	Gonzaga	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	188 lb (85 kg)	Jun 28, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Will Jackson DB	Washington D.C.	St. John's	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Feb 4, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Jordan Jones LB	Youngstown, Ohio	Cardinal Mooney	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	May 8, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Sihiem King RB	Moultrie, Georgia	Colquitt County	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Feb 3, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Levon Livingston OL	Washington D.C.	Ballou	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	250 lb (110 kg)	Apr 5, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Courtney Miggins DT	Lithonia, Georgia	Pearl River Community College	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	285 lb (129 kg)	Feb 4, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Javon Provitt DT	Warren, Ohio	Harding	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	285 lb (129 kg)	Jan 25, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Tavin Richardson WR	Duncan, South Carolina	Byrnes	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Jan 30, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Logan Stenberg OL	Madison, Alabama	James Clemens	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	320 lb (150 kg)	Apr 5, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Calvin Taylor OL	Augusta, Georgia	Augusta Christian	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)	270 lb (120 kg)	Mar 29, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Marcus Walker DB	Lake Wales, Florida	Lake Wales	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Jul 18, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Chris Westry DB	Orange Park, Florida	Oakleaf	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Jan 20, 2015
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Mason Wolfe OL	Henderson, Kentucky	Henderson County	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	300 lb (140 kg)	Apr 7, 2014
	Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 21   Rivals: 17  247Sports: 22  ESPN: 24
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Kentucky 2015 Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015. "2015 Kentucky Football Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015. "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015.

Returning starters

Offense

Player Class Position Ramsey Meyers So. OG Jordan Swindle Sr. OT Ryan Timmons Jr. WR Jon Toth Jr. C Patrick Towles Jr. QB Zach West Sr. OG Stanley Williams So. RB Reference:

Defense Player Class Position Josh Forrest Sr. LB Khalid Henderson Sr. LB Melvin Lewis Sr. DT Cody Quinn Sr. DB A.J. Stamps Sr. S Fred Tiller Sr. DB Reference:

Special teams Player Class Position Landon Foster Sr. Punter Austin MacGinnis So. Placekicker Kelly Mason Jr. Long Snapper Reference:

Roster

2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 1 Timmons, RyanRyan Timmons Jr WR 2 Baker, DorianDorian Baker So RB 3 Kemp, JojoJojo Kemp Jr RB 4 Horton, MikelMikel Horton So WR 6 Bone, BlakeBlake Bone So QB 7 Barker, DrewDrew Barker Fr WR 8 Greenwood, JabariJabari Greenwood Fr WR 9 Johnson, GarrettGarrett Johnson So WR 10 Snodgrass, ThaddeusThaddeus Snodgrass Fr WR 11 Richardson, TavinTavin Richardson Fr QB 12 Phillips, ReeseReese Phillips So WR 13 Badet, JeffJeff Badet So QB 14 Towles, PatrickPatrick Towles Jr TE 15 Conrad, C.J.C.J. Conrad Fr QB 16 Mattingly, DavisDavis Mattingly Fr WR 17 Montgomery, AlexanderAlexander Montgomery So RB 18 Williams, StanleyStanley Williams So WR 20 Kendall, RyanRyan Kendall Fr RB 22 King, SihiemSihiem King Fr WR 31 Bouvier, DavidDavid Bouvier Fr RB 32 Mahone, WilliamWilliam Mahone So FB 48 Collins, WillWill Collins Jr TE 49 Fink, TannerTanner Fink Fr OG 55 Baumer, DavidDavid Baumer Fr OG 56 Simpson, SullivanSullivan Simpson Fr OG 57 Myers, ZachZach Myers Jr OT 60 Taylor, CalvinCalvin Taylor Fr OG 61 Salyer, TristenTristen Salyer Fr C 62 Greenburg, DylanDylan Greenburg So OG 64 Asafo-Adjei, GeorgeGeorge Asafo-Adjei Fr OG 65 Stallings, JervontiusJervontius Stallings Fr OG 67 LaRubbio, JarrettJarrett LaRubbio Fr OG 68 Haynes, NickNick Haynes So OG 69 Meyers, RamseyRamsey Meyers So OT 70 Swindle, JordanJordan Swindle Sr OG 71 Stenberg, LoganLogan Stenberg Fr C 72 Toth, JonJon Toth Jr OT 73 Meadows, KyleKyle Meadows So OG 74 Mosier, ColeCole Mosier So OG 75 West, ZachZach West Sr OT 76 Livingston, LevonLevon Livingston Fr OG 77 Wolfe, MasonMason Wolfe Fr WR 80 Walker, C.J.C.J. Walker Fr WR 82 Williams, T.V.T.V. Williams So TE 85 Hart, GregGreg Hart  So TE 86 Long, DarrylDarryl Long Fr WR 87 Herrick, JoeyJoey Herrick Sr WR 88 Walker, CharlesCharles Walker So	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 1 Stamps, A.J.A.J. Stamps Sr CB 3 Tiller, FredFred Tiller Sr S 4 Walker, MarcusMarcus Walker Fr CB 5 Randolph, KendallKendall Randolph So DE 6 Hatcher, JasonJason Hatcher Jr LB 7 Blaylock, DaronDaron Blaylock Sr LB 8 Walker, KobieKobie Walker Fr LB 10 Brause, TylerTyler Brause Sr CB 11 Harmon, J.D.J.D. Harmon Jr LB 14 Hendrix, DorianDorian Hendrix Fr S 15 McWilson, MarcusMarcus McWilson Jr CB 16 Quinn, CodyCody Quinn Sr S 17 Blaylock, ZackZack Blaylock Jr S 18 Faulkner, GlennGlenn Faulkner  Sr DE 20 Daniel, KengeraKengera Daniel Fr CB 21 Westry, ChrisChris Westry Fr LB 22 Henderson, KhalidKhalid Henderson Sr DB 23 Tucker, JaredJared Tucker Fr DB 24 McClain, BlakeBlake McClain Jr S 25 West, DariusDarius West Fr CB 26 Jackson, WillWill Jackson Fr S 27 Edwards, MikeMike Edwards Fr CB 28 Beckham, KeiKei Beckham Fr CB 29 Baity, DerrickDerrick Baity Fr CB 31 Jennings, DarienDarien Jennings Fr LB 32 Brown, EliEli Brown Fr LB 33 Flannigan, RyanRyan Flannigan Sr LB 34 Jones, JordanJordan Jones Fr DE 35 Ware, DenzilDenzil Ware Fr DT 36 Hyde, JacobJacob Hyde So LB 37 Foy, SpencerSpencer Foy  So LB 38 Brownell, AlexAlex Brownell Fr LB 39 Barnett, ElijahElijah Barnett Fr LB 40 Firios, NicoNico Firios Fr LB 41 Allen, JoshJosh Allen Fr LB 42 Spencer, BlakeBlake Spencer Fr LB 43 Blue, LoganLogan Blue Fr LB 44 Laster, De'NiroDe'Niro Laster  So LB 45 Forrest, JoshJosh Forrest Sr LB 46 John, ConnorConnor John Fr DT 47 Johnson, JabariJabari Johnson Sr LB 51 Love, CourtneyCourtney Love  So DT 67 Johnson, CoryCory Johnson Sr DT 69 Elam, MattMatt Elam So DT 78 Williams, ZaneZane Williams Jr DT 90 Lewis, MelvinMelvin Lewis Sr DE 91 Huguenin, FarringtonFarrington Huguenin Sr DE 92 Bell, AlvonteAlvonte Bell Jr DT 94 Miggins, CourtneyCourtney Miggins Fr DT 96 Meant, RegieRegie Meant So DE 98 Dubose, TymereTymere Dubose Fr DT 99 Middleton, AdrianAdrian Middleton Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class H 13 Leet, JaredJared Leet Jr PK, P 9 Foster, LandonLandon Foster Jr LS 53 Best, BlakeBlake Best Fr P 93 Kirshe, BryanBryan Kirshe Fr PK 95 Butler, MilesMiles Butler Fr PK 99 MacGinnis, AustinAustin MacGinnis Fr	Head coach Mark Stoops[16] Coordinators/assistant coaches Derrick Ansley Defensive Backs Shannon Dawson Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Jimmy Brumbaugh Defensive Line D. J. Eliot Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Tommy Mainord Wide Receivers Vince Marrow Tight Ends John Schlarman Offensive Line Chad Scott Running Backs Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: May 7, 2015

Depth chart

Defense FS 1 A.J. Stamps 25 Darius West WLB MLB SLB ⋅ 45 Josh Forrest ⋅ 41 Josh Allen 34 Jordan Jones ⋅ SS 15 Marcus McWilson 27 Mike Edwards CB 21 Chris Westry 11 J.D. Harmon DE DT DT DE 91 Farrington Huguenin 67 C.J. Johnson 69 Matt Elam 47 Jabari Johnson 94 Courtney Miggins 96 Regie Meant 99 Adrian Middleton 35 Denzil Ware CB 16 Cody Quinn 5 Kendall Randolph Offense WR 13 Jeff Badet 6 Blake Bone WR 9 Garrett Johnson 1 Ryan Timmons LT LG C RG RT 70 Jordan Swindle 68 Nick Haynes 72 Jon Toth 69 Ramsey Meyers 73 Kyle Meadows 74 Cole Mosier 75 Zach West 57 Zach Myers 74 Cole Mosier 64 George Asafo-Adjei TE 15 C.J. Conrad 86 Daryl Long WR 2 Dorian Baker 9 Garrett Johnson QB 14 Patrick Towles 7 Drew Barker RB 18 Boom Williams 3 Jojo Kemp

Schedule

Kentucky announced their 2015 football schedule on October 14, 2014. The 2015 schedule consist of eight home games and four away games in the regular season for the first time since the 2007 season. The Wildcats will host SEC foes Auburn, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee, and will travel to Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt.^[17]

The Wildcats will host all non–conference play against Louisiana-Lafayette and Charlotte (both for the first time), and in–state rivals Eastern Kentucky and Louisville. The match–up against long–rival Tennessee will be held in October for the first time since 1909. Kentucky will also host Auburn on a Thursday night for the first home game on a Thursday night in program history.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 5	7:00 p.m.	Louisiana–Lafayette*	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	ESPNU	W 40–33	62,933
September 12	7:30 p.m.	at South Carolina	Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC	SECN	W 26–22	82,178
September 19	7:30 p.m.	Florida	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	SECN	L 9–14	63,040
September 26	7:30 p.m.	No. 25 Missouri	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	SECN	W 21–13	58,008
October 3	7:30 p.m.	Eastern Kentucky*	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	SECN	W 34–27 ^OT	63,380
October 15	7:00 p.m.	Auburn	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	ESPN	L 27–30	63,407
October 24	7:30 p.m.	at Mississippi State	Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS (Rivalry)	SECN	L 16–42	61,168
October 31	7:30 p.m.	Tennessee	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY (Rivalry)	SECN	L 21–52	60,886
November 7	Noon	at Georgia	Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA	SECN	L 3–27	92,746
November 14	4:00 p.m.	at Vanderbilt	Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN (Rivalry)	SECN	L 17–21	30,301
November 21	7:30 p.m.	Charlotte*	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY	SECN	W 58–10	56,195
November 28	Noon	Louisville*	Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY (Governor's Cup)	SECN	L 24–38	62,512
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Schedule Source:^[18]

Game notes

Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette

Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
UL–Lafayette	0	7	10	16	33
Kentucky	14	10	9	7	40

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: September 5, 2015
• Game time: 7:00 PM
• Game weather: 88 deg., Sunny
• Game attendance: 62,933
• Referee: Matt Austin
• TV announcers (ESPNU): Anish Shroff (Play-by-play), Ahmad Brooks (Analyst)
• Sources:^[19][20]

Game information

First Quarter UK – Stanley Williams, 75-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 14:44 (UK 7–0) UK – Garrett Johnson, 35-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Austin MacGinnis kick), 6:17 (UK 14–0) Second Quarter UK – Jeff Badet, 37-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Austin MacGinnis kick), 14:43 (UK 21–0) ULL – Brooks Haack, 4-yard run (Stevie Artigue kick), 8:33 (UK 21–7) UK – Austin MacGinnis, 44-yard field goal, 2:16 (UK 24–7) Third Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 24-yard field goal, 9:54 (UK 27–7) ULL – Stevie Artigue, 31-yard field goal, 6:04 (UK 27–10) UK – Blake Bone, 5-yard pass from Patrick Towles, 3:47 (UK 33–10) ULL – Torrey Pierce, 56-yard run (Stevie Artigue kick), 1:26 (UK 33–17) Fourth Quarter ULL – Torrey Pierce, 26-yard run (Elijah McGuire pass conversion good), 11:39 (UK 33–25) ULL – Jalen Nixon, 23-yard run (Elijah McGuire run conversion good), 7:36 (Tie 33–33) UK – Mikel Horton, 12-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 0:57 (UK 40–33) Top Passers ULL – Haacks – 22/37, 194 UK – Towles – 16/34, 257 Top Rushers ULL – Pierce – 10-110 UK – B. Williams – 10-135 Top Receiving ULL – Fuselier – 7-69 UK – G. Johnson – 5-85

Kentucky overcame a three-touchdown comeback by Louisiana-Lafayette with a late touchdown to defeat the Ragin' Cajuns 40-33 in the season opener for both teams. This was the first game in the newly renovated Commonwealth Stadium. The $120 million renovation includes player amenities such as a recruiting room and patio atop a tunnel leading to a new synthetic turf field. The Wildcats initially gave a sellout crowd of 62,933 something to feel good about on the field and in their seats before things turned sour.

Stanley "Boom" Williams' ran for a 75-yard TD on the game's first play. Williams' speed helped the Wildcats deliver just 16 seconds in. Last year's team rushing leader blew through a big hole up the middle and off for a big TD that brought a roar from the packed house before they got comfortable in their seats. He finished with 135 yards on 10 carries.

Patrick Towles' five-yard touchdown pass to Blake Bone provided a 33-10 lead late in the third quarter. But Austin MacGinnis' missed extra point opened the door for the Ragin' Cajuns to rally with TD runs of 56 and 26 yards by Torrey Pierce and a 23-yarder by Jalen Nixon.

Elijah McGuire's game-tying two point conversion run with 7:36 left created more anxiety, especially for Kentucky when Towles fumbled a fourth-and-1 snap at Louisiana's 49. The junior somehow recovered the ball for a two-yard gain to extend the drive. Five plays later Horton's 12-yard run with 57 seconds remaining put Kentucky ahead for good.

Josh Forrest intercepted Brooks Haack's Hail Mary pass as time expired to preserve Kentucky's narrow win on a wild but long night that included a faulty game clock and even lightning in the near distance along with the drone crash.

Towles passed for 257 yards and TDs of 35 yards to Garrett Johnson, 37 to Jeff Badet and Bone.

At South Carolina

Kentucky Wildcats vs South Carolina Gamecocks – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Kentucky	14	10	0	2	26
South Carolina	7	0	6	9	22

at Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

• Date: September 12, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 75 deg., Clear
• Game attendance: 82,178
• Referee: Ken Williamson
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (Analyst)
• Sources:^[21][22]

Game information

First Quarter USC – Connor Mitch, 1 yard run (Elliott Fry kick), 12:30 (USC 7–0) UK – Mikel Horton, 8-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 7:49 (TIED 7–7) UK – Jojo Kemp, 2-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 7:49 (UK 14–7) Second Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 29-yard field goal, 7:29 (UK 17–7) UK – Patrick Towles, 1-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 0:17 (UK 24–7) Third Quarter USC – Elliott Fry, 29-yard field goal, 11:13 (UK 24–10) USC – Elliott Fry, 21-yard field goal, 6:18 (UK 24–13) Fourth Quarter USC – Elliott Fry, 21-yard field goal, 14:14 (UK 24–16) USC – Jerrell Adams, 33-yard pass from Perry Orth (Pharoah Cooper rush fumbled), 8:09 (UK 24–22) UK – Denzil Ware, PAT return, 8:09 (UK 26–22) Top Passers UK – Towles – 21/29, 192 USC – Orth – 13/20, 179 Top Rushers UK – B. Williams – 14-107 USC – Wilds – 16-106 Top Receiving UK – Baker – 5-55 USC – Cooper – 9-100

It was a tale of two halves, with Kentucky's offense scoring 24 unanswered first-half points before the Wildcat defense made big play after big play in the second half to secure Kentucky's first win at South Carolina since 1999. Mark Stoops started the week reminding the Wildcats they hadn't had a winning road trip in his three-year tenure. They ended the week celebrating a 26 to 22 road victory at South Carolina on Saturday in front of 82,178 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The victory for Kentucky broke a 22-game losing streak in road games with the Wildcats last road win coming at Louisville in Sept. 2010. Kentucky's last SEC road victory was at Georgia in Nov. 2009. UK is now 2-0 on the season and starts conference play with a victory for the first time since defeating Arkansas in 2007 in Fayetteville.

Heading into halftime with a 24-7 lead, South Carolina scored the first 15 points of the second half, including three Elliott Fry field goals and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Perry Orth, who was playing for injured Gamecock quarterback Conner Mitch, to Jerrell Adams, to cut the UK lead to 24-22. The Gamecocks and head coach Steve Spurrier decided to go for the two-point conversion to try to tie the game before freshman Denzil Ware scooped up a fumble and returned it 98 yards for two points to give UK a 26-22 lead with 8:09 to go in the game. After a short drive by the UK offense, South Carolina started another drive on a tired Kentucky defense before another freshman made a big play with rookie cornerback Chris Westry earning his first-career interception to put the Wildcats back in the driver's seat. The Wildcat offense, who struggled for much of the second half, sealed the victory from there, taking the final 4:32 off the clock, including a key 11-yard quarterback draw by Patrick Towles on third down to drain the Gamecocks of timeouts. Sophomore Stanley "Boom" Williams took over from there with a 25-yard rush to end the game.

Vs. Florida

Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Florida	7	7	0	0	14
Kentucky	3	0	0	6	9

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: September 19, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 67 deg., Partly cloudy
• Game attendance: 63,040
• Referee: John McDaid
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (Analyst)
• Sources:^[23][24]

Game information

First Quarter UF – Will Grier, 1-yard run (Austin Hardin kick), 8:48 (UF 7–0) UK – Austin MacGinnis, 29-yard field goal, 2:04 (UF 7–3) Second Quarter UF – Kelvin Taylor, 3-yard run (Austin Hardin kick), 0:14 (UF 14–3) Third Quarter Fourth Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 22-yard field goal, 14:50 (UF 14–6) UK – Austin MacGinnis, 45-yard field goal, 10:57 (UF 14–9) Top Passers UF – Grier – 13/22, 125 UK – Towles – 8/24, 126 Top Rushers UF – Grier – 12-61 UK – Williams – 16-80 Top Receiving UF – McGee – 3-30 UK – Baker – 4-48

Despite a sparkling defensive effort in which the Kentucky football team held Florida scoreless in the second half, a fourth-quarter rally fell short as Florida prevailed 14-9 on Saturday night in a front of a sold-out Commonwealth Stadium. Trailing 14-3 going into the fourth quarter, the Wildcats made it a one-score game behind two Austin MacGinnis field goals and had the ball twice over the final five minutes in an attempt to score the go-ahead touchdown. Kentucky's final drive of the night began on its own 20-yard line and was dissipated by a Quincy Wilson interception on fourth-and-27 to lift the Gators to the win.

Kentucky's defense stymied the Gator attack for the entire second half. Five Wildcats registered six or more tackles on the night, led by Khalid Henderson's nine stops. UK posted three tackles for a loss and J.D. Harmon picked off a pass in the end zone to halt a Florida drive in the middle of the third quarter that would have pushed UF's lead to three scores. The interception sparked a momentum change in the game as UK would go on to put together back-to-back scoring drives.

UK quarterback Patrick Towles was 8 of 24 on the night with 126 yards and two interceptions. Running back Stanley "Boom" Williams rushed 16 times for 80 yards – snapping his three-game 100-yard rushing streak. Dorian Baker led the receivers with four hauls for 38 yards, including a big fourth-down catch late in the game. Florida's Will Grier threw for 125 yards and rushed for a team-high 61 yards that included a 1-yard touchdown scamper in the opening quarter.

Following Harmon's interception in the third quarter, Towles' 33-yard scramble highlighted a 75-yard drive by the Wildcats to inch closer at 14-6 with 14:50 in the fourth. MacGinnis connected on a 22-yard field goal for the Wildcats to make it a one-possession game. After the UK defense forced a three-and-out, MacGinnis made it a five-point contest with 10:57 to go with a 45-yard field goal. Towles found Jeff Badet for a 45-yard strike down the left sideline to push the Wildcats into field-goal range as the drive's highlight.

Following UK's third field goal of the game, Florida managed one first down before being forced to punt with 8:34 remaining. Faced with a third-and-10 from its own 22, Towles found Baker open on the right sideline to keep the drive alive. Williams followed with a 14-yard rush, but the drive stalled at UK's 48. Punter Landon Foster pinned the Gators inside the 20 with 6:10 to go. The Gators picked up two first downs and killed 3:44 of clock before punting back to the Wildcats, which began the final drive at their own 20. Towles and Baker hooked up for a 20-yard gain on fourth-and-3 at the Kentucky 27 to keep the drive alive. Florida sacked Towles for a loss of 12 on third-and-10 from the UK 47 and then the Wildcats committed a false start. Towels' deep ball down the left side line intended for Ryan Timmons was picked off by Wilson to preserve the Gators' victory.

Vs. Missouri

#25 Missouri Tigers vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Missouri	7	0	3	3	13
Kentucky	0	7	7	7	21

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: September 26, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 68 deg., Overcast
• Game attendance: 58,008
• Referee: Marc Curles
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (Analyst)
• Sources:^[25][26]

Game information

First Quarter MU – J'Mon Moore, 17-yard pass from Maty Mauk (Andrew Baggett kick), 3:49 (MU 7–0) Second Quarter UK – Patrick Towles, 14-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 14:51 (Tied 7–7) Third Quarter MU – Andrew Baggett, 39-yard field goal, 6:04 (MU 10–7) UK – C.J. Conrad, 24-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Austin MacGinnis kick), 1:59 (UK 14–10) Fourth Quarter UK – Dorian Baker, 5–yard pass from Patrick Towles (Austin MacGinnis kick), 6:20 (UK 21–10) MU – Andrew Baggett, 24–yard field goal, 3:00 (UK 21–13) Top Passers MU – Mauk – 15/30, 180 UK – Towles – 22/27, 249 Top Rushers MU – Witter – 11–50 UK – Kemp – 13–68 Top Receiving MU – Leftwich – 3–44 UK – Johnson – 6–119

Patrick Towles guided Kentucky to two second-half touchdowns while pacing the Kentucky football team to a 21-13 victory over No. 25 Missouri. Towles led UK to its first league victory at the New Commonwealth Stadium and its first win over a ranked opponent since 2010 when Kentucky defeated No. 9 South Carolina. The win over the Tigers signified the first win over a top-25 opponent in the Mark Stoops era.

Towles directed scoring drives in the third and fourth quarters to ignite the offensive effort in the second half. The junior gunslinger found CJ Conrad for a 24-yard strike before connecting with Dorian Baker with less than seven minutes to play to give the Wildcats a 14-point lead it would not relinquish. Towles had his most consistent game of the season, connecting on 22-of-27 passes for 249 yards with the two touchdown passes. He also added a 14-yard scamper for a score in the opening half.

Defensively, C.J. Johnson paced the Wildcats with 11 tackles, besting his career high by five. Senior linebacker Josh Forrest added nine tackles, while Jason Hatcher posted eight stops to aid the stout defensive effort. Kentucky yielded just 14 points per game through its opening three games against SEC foes.

Kentucky, which had not won against Mizzou since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012, had a number of player milestones as well. With his 6-yard carry with 1:24 remaining in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory, running back JoJo Kemp became the 34th Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards in a career. The junior led the UK attack on the ground, racking up 66 yards on 13 attempts. Garrett Johnson led the team in receiving with a season-high 119 yards, including a long of 35 yards that matched his season best. Conrad had a breakout game, not only recording his first career catch but also his first career touchdown with 55 yards of offense through the air. Baker also had a standout game, matching his career high of 51 yards and recording the second touchdown of his career.

Following a rocky start to the drive that found the Wildcats in a first-and-29 situation, Towles found Johnson for consecutive 20-plus-yard throws to move the chains and get UK into Missouri territory for the first time in the contest. Kentucky continued to cruise downfield, closing out the quarter on the 14-yard line. The short break did not derail the Wildcats as Towles used the opening play of the second quarter to dodge and weave through the Tiger defense for a rushing touchdown. That knotted the score at seven apiece. Much like the start of the game, the second half started slow before Missouri struck late in the third quarter. However, the Tigers were left to settle for a field goal in lieu of a touchdown with 6:04 remaining, with Andrew Baggett sending a 39-yarder through the uprights to give MU a slight 10-7 edge.

Kemp acted as the catalyst for the team, as three of his carries totaled a combined 37 yards, giving UK a first-and-goal late in the third quarter. Though Kemp moved the offense down the field for the bulk of the drive, it was Conrad who would complete it for the Wildcats, pulling down a perfect 24-yard toss from Towles for the first touchdown of his career. With the addition of the extra point, Kentucky was able to take its first lead of the game with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, leading by a count of 14-10.

Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Eastern Kentucky	0	6	7	14	0	27
Kentucky	7	0	6	14	7	34

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: October 3, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 50 deg., Light rain
• Game attendance: 63,380
• Referee: David Smith
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Mike Couzens (Play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (Analyst)
• Sources:^[27][28]

Game information

First Quarter UK – Patrick Towles, 1-yard run (Miles Butler kick), 0:51 (UK 7–0) Second Quarter EKU – Devin Borders, 1-yard pass from Bennie Coney (Lucas Williams kick failed), 8:49 (UK 7–6) Third Quarter EKU – Bennie Coney, 1-yard run (Lucas Williams kick), 10:59 (EKU 13–7) UK – Jeff Badet, 36-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Miles Butler kick failed), 8:23 (Tied 13–13) Fourth Quarter EKU – Dy'Shawn Mobley, 6-yard run (Lucas Williams kick), 12:50 (EKU 20–13) EKU – Devin Borders, 15-yard pass from Bennie Coney (Lucas Williams kick), 7:39 (EKU 27–13) UK – Jojo Kemp, 7-yard run (Miles Butler kick), 4:59 (EKU 27–20) UK – Dorian Baker, 5-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Miles Butler kick), 0:52 (Tied 27–27) Overtime UK – Dorian Baker, 5-yard pass from Patrick Towles (Miles Butler kick), 0:00 (UK 34–27) Top Passers EKU – Coney – 19/32, 183 UK – Towles – 29/42, 329 Top Rushers EKU – Thomas – 20–84 UK – Kemp – 14–46 Top Receiving EKU – Mobley – 5–50 UK – Baker – 8–86

Despite trailing by 14 points with less than eight minutes in the fourth quarter, the Kentucky football team celebrated its 100th Homecoming anniversary at The New CWS in thrilling fashion, notching a 34-27 comeback overtime victory over in-state foe Eastern Kentucky.

Kentucky rallied from a 27-13 deficit late in the fourth quarter with back-to-back game-saving drives. Facing a fourth-and-3 at the end of regulation, Patrick Towles stood in the face of a blitz and found Dorian Baker for a 5-yard touchdown to force overtime.

The duo connected again in overtime with a 3-yard pitch-and-catch to take a 34-27 lead. CJ Johnson, who recorded 19 tackles, the most by a defensive lineman in program history, fittingly sealed the outcome with a game-clinching sack. Eight of Johnson's 19 tackles were solo stops, including a sack and two-and-a-half tackles for loss. Ryan Flannigan was one tackle off his career best with 11 tackles, Josh Forrest recorded double-digit tackles with 10 stops on the night, and Farrington Huguenin blocked a field goal and recovered a fumble.

Coupled with 2014's opening five games, it marks the first time that UK has been 4-1 for two consecutive seasons since 1976-77.

Towles rebounded from a two-interception first half to lead the offense for the Wildcats, connecting on 29-of-42 pass attempts for 329 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a rushing score. Towles surpassed the 300-yard mark for the first time this season and the fourth of his career. The duo of Baker and Blake Bone carried the offense in receiving with 86 and 85 yards, respectively. Both bested their career highs by more than 20 yards each, and Baker's two touchdowns, which included the game-tying and game-winning catches, is a career best for the wide receiver.

The Wildcats retain an unblemished all-time record against the Colonels and advance to 4-1 on the season with the victory.

Vs. Auburn

Auburn vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Auburn	14	9	0	7	30
Kentucky	7	3	7	10	27

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: October 15, 2015
• Game time: 7:00 PM
• Game weather: Clear, 66 deg.
• Game attendance: 63,407
• Referee: Hubert Owens
• TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (Play-by-play), Mack Brown (Analyst)
• Sources:^[29][30]

Game information

First Quarter AU – Peyton Barber run for 1-yard for a TD (Daniel Carlson kick), 11:07, (Auburn 7–0) UK – Stanley Williams run for 1-yard for a TD (Austin MacGinnis kick), 8:46, (Tied 7–7) AU – Kerryon Johnson run for 6-yards for a TD (Daniel Carlson kick), 6:10, (Auburn 14–7) Second Quarter AU – Daniel Carlson 34-yard field goal, 8:59 (Auburn 17–7) UK – Austin MacGinnis 28-yard field goal, 4:55 (Auburn 17–10) AU – Daniel Carlson 29-yard field goal, 1:43 (Auburn 20–10) AU – Daniel Carlson 29-yard field goal, 0:00 (Auburn 23–10) Third Quarter UK – Stanley Williams run for 6-yards for a TD (Austin MacGinnis kick), 11:49 (Auburn 23–17) UK – Austin MacGinnis 31-yard field goal, 1:03 (Auburn 23–20) Fourth Quarter AU – Peyton Barber run for 3-yards for a TD (Daniel Carlson kick), 7:56 (Auburn 30–20) UK – Mikel Horton run for 1-yard for a TD (Austin MacGinnis kick), 4:06 (Auburn 30–27) Top Passers AU – White – 17/27, 255 UK – Towles – 27/44, 359 Top Rushers AU – Barber – 26–92 UK – Williams – 16–113 Top Receiving AU – Louis – 7–154 UK – Johnson – 9–160

Kentucky scored 17 second-half points and rallied to within one score, but the Auburn Tigers held on for a 30-27 win in front of 63,407 fans in The New Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday night. Auburn earned a 10-point advantage at 30-20 with less than eight minutes to play before the Wildcats pulled to within three following a Mikel Horton 1-yard plunge. Kentucky was able to get the ball back with 2:12 remaining, but UK failed to convert on fourth-and-3 from the Auburn 44 to allow the Tigers to clinch the victory.

Patrick Towles posted more than 300 yards of offense for the second consecutive game, racking up 359 yards on 27-of-44 passing with one interception. The junior gunslinger had five 20-plus-yard tosses for the evening, including a pair of throws longer than 35 yards. Garrett Johnson was Towles' primary target for the long ball, as he posted a career-best 160 yards receiving, including a season-long 39-yard catch that started a drive to help the Wildcats chip away at a 10-point deficit in the second quarter. Marcus McWilson led the way for the UK defense, tying his career best in total tackles after making 10 stops. Josh Forrest was not far behind with nine tackles, and Jason Hatcher also matched his career mark with seven takedowns.

For the Tigers, Sean White led the team on 17-of-27 passing for 255 yards, 154 of which went into the hands of Ricardo Louis to lead the team in receiving. On the ground, Peyton Barber rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while Kerryon Johnson added 36 yards and a touchdown for Auburn.

Kentucky's running backs paced the team in scoring, with Stanley "Boom" Williams returning to action to rush for 113 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard sprint that the sophomore would follow up with the opening touchdown for the Wildcats. Horton also notched a touchdown for the Wildcats, making the most of his five carries in the third quarter to bring UK within three points of the Tigers in the final minutes of the game.

At Mississippi State

Kentucky Wildcats vs Mississippi State – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Kentucky	10	3	3	0	16
Mississippi State	7	21	7	7	42

at Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi

• Date: October 24, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 75 deg, Partly Cloudy
• Game attendance: 61,168
• Referee: Tom Ritter
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst)
• Sources:^[31][32]

Game information

First Quarter UK – Patrick Towles, 1-yard run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 8:19 (UK 7–0) MSU – Dak Prescott, 1-yard run (Westin Graves kick), 5:24 (Tied 7–7) UK – Austin MacGinnis, 44-yard field goal, 1:53 (UK 10–7) Second Quarter MSU – De'Runnya Wilson, 13-yard pass from Prescott (Graves kick), 13:38 (MSU 14–10) MSU – Brandon Holloway, 8-yard pass from Prescott (Graves kick), 1:34 (MSU 21–10) MSU – Dak Prescott, 20-yard run (Graves kick), 0:34 (MSU 28–10) UK – Austin MacGinnis, 48-yard field goal, 0:03 (MSU 28–13) Third Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 32-yard field goal, 2:55 (MSU 28–16) MSU – Darrion Hutcherson, 13-yard pass from Prescott (Graves kick), 0:59 (MSU 35–16) Fourth Quarter MSU – Dak Prescott, 18-yard run (Graves kick), 4:44 (MSU 42–16) Top Passers UK – Towles – 23/42, 218 MSU – Prescott – 25/35, 348 Top Rushers UK – B. Williams – 18-95 MSU – Prescott – 13-117 Top Receiving UK – Baker – 7-56 MSU – Holloway – 5-98

Mississippi State scored 21 points in the second quarter behind the impressive play of Bulldog senior quarterback Dak Prescott, handing Kentucky its first road loss of the season, 42-16, at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.

Prescott was the star of the game, going 25-for-35 through the air for 348 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing 13 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Holloway was the team's second-leading rusher, carrying the ball six times for 36 yards. Holloway was also the team's leading receiver with five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles went 23-for-42 in the game for 218 yards and two interceptions, rushing six times for 13 yards and a touchdown. Boom Williams was the leading rusher for Kentucky, carrying the ball 18 times for 95 yards, including a 25-yard rush. Dorian Baker had seven receptions for 56 yards, while tight end C.J. Conrad had a career game with six receptions for 56 yards and sophomore Garrett "Juice" Johnson had five catches for 74 yards.

Vs. Tennessee

Tennessee Volunteers vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tennessee	7	17	28	0	52
Kentucky	7	7	7	0	21

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: October 31, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 59 deg, cloudy
• Game attendance: 60,886
• Referee: Brad Rogers
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst)
• Sources:^[33][34]

Game information

First Quarter UK – Cory Johnson, 77-yard fumble return (Austin MacGinnis kick), 8:23 (UK 7–0) UT – Joshua Dobbs, 28-yard run (Aaron Medley kick), 2:45 (Tied 7–7) Second Quarter UT – Medley, 44-yard field goal, 11:54 (UT 10–7) UK – Patrick Towles, 1-yard run (MacGinnis kick), 5:39 (UK 14–10) UT – Dobbs, 75-yard pass to Josh Malone (Medley kick), 5:26 (UT 17–14) UT – Dobbs, 1-yard run (Medley kick), 0:40 (UT 24–14) Third Quarter UT – Dobbs, 37-yard pass to Jalen Hurd (Medley kick), 10:56 (UT 31–14) UT – Hurd, 4-yard run (Medley kick), 10:14 (UT 38–14) UK – Towles, 39-yard pass to Garrett Johnson (MacGinnis kick), 8:34 (UT 38–21) UT – Berry, 100-yard kickoff return (Medley kick), 8:19 (UT 45–21) UT – Sutton, 84-yard punt return (Medley kick), 5:29 (UT 52–21) Fourth Quarter Top Passers UT – Joshua Dobbs – 16-26, 233 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT UK – Patrick Towles – 16-33, 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Top Rushers UT – Alvin Kamara – 4 rushes, 70 yards UK – Mikel Horton – 14 rushes, 109 yards Top Receiving UT – Josh Malone – 4 receptions, 103 yards, 1 TD UK – Garrett Johnson – 2 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD

The Volunteers, any way you slice it, were dominant in their first trip to The New Commonwealth Stadium. They gained nearly 500 yards, limited UK to only two offensive touchdowns, forced a pair of turnovers and scored touchdowns on kick and punt returns.

When UK seized even the tiniest bit of momentum, Tennessee took it right back, starting after C.J. Johnson picked up a sack-fumble forced by Marcus McWilson and returned it 77 yards for a 7-0 Wildcat lead. It was the first of two times in the opening half UK went ahead, but that did not stop the Volunteers from scoring 14 points over the final 5:26 before halftime to take a 24-14 lead.

At Georgia

Kentucky Wildcats vs Georgia Bulldogs – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Kentucky	0	0	0	0	0
Georgia	10	0	14	3	27

at Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia

• Date: November 7, 2015
• Game time: 12:00 PM
• Game weather: 68 deg, overcast
• Game attendance: 92,746
• Referee: Marc Curles
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst)
• Sources:

Game information

First Quarter UGA – Terry Godwin, 28 yard run (Marshall Moses kick), 8:57 (UGA 7–0) UGA – Moses, 22 yard field goal, 2:03 (UGA 10–0) Second Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 32 yard field goal, 1:12 (UGA 10–3) Third Quarter UGA – Sony Michel, 1 yard run (Moses kick), 6:28 (UGA 17–3) UGA – Keith Marshall, 10 yard pass from Greyson Lambert (Moses kick), 6:28 (UGA 24–3) Fourth Quarter UGA – Moses, 27 yard field goal, 8:47 (UGA 27–3) Top Passers UK – Towles – 8/21, 96 UGA – Lambert – 6/13, 64 Top Rushers UK – Kemp – 12-48 UGA – Michel – 24-167 Top Receiving UK – Johnson – 3-49 UGA – Mitchell – 4-52

The University of Georgia football team scored 14 points in the third quarter to open up a 21-point lead and roll to a 27-3 victory over Kentucky. The two teams traded field goals the reminder of the first half with Marshall Morgan hitting from 22 yards and UK's Austin MacGinnis hitting from 32 yards to cut the UGA halftime lead to 10-3. Georgia took control of the game in the third quarter. Kentucky received the opening kickoff of the second half and elected to go for it on fourth-and-short near midfield, but could not covert. The Bulldogs took advantage of the open field, marching 52 yards down the field with Sony Michel's one-yard scoring rush giving UGA a 17-3 lead.

The Bulldogs added to that lead late in the third quarter when Keith Marshall scored on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Greyson Lambert to put UGA up 24-3. Georgia added a 27-yard field goal by Morgan in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on the 27-3 victory.

At Vanderbilt

Kentucky Wildcats vs Vanderbilt Commodores – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Kentucky	3	7	7	0	17
Vanderbilt	7	14	0	0	21

at Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee

• Date: November 14, 2015
• Game time: 4:00 PM
• Game weather: 61 deg, clear
• Game attendance: 30,301
• Referee: Matt Austin
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Tom Hart (Play-by-play), Andre Ware (Analyst)
• Sources:

Game information

First Quarter UK – Austin MacGinnis, 38 yard field goal, 10:22 (UK 3–0) VU – Kyle Anderton, 4 yard pass from Kyle Shurmur (Hayden Lekacz kick), 0:36 (VU 7–3) Second Quarter UK – Ryan Timmons, 7 yard pass from Drew Barker (MacGinnis kick), 10:23 (UK 10–7) VU – Oren Burks, 30 yard interception return (Lekacz kick), 5:10 (VU 14–10) VU – Caleb Scott, 37 yard pass from Shurmur (Lekacz kick), 0:37 (VU 21–10) Third Quarter UK – Jojo Kemp, 2 yard run (MacGinnis kick), 1:06 (VU 21-17) Fourth Quarter Top Passers UK – Towles – 10/26, 67 VU – Shurmur – 13/26, 166 Top Rushers UK – Williams – 13-115 VU – Webb – 33-113 Top Receiving UK – Baker – 7-42 VU – Scott – 3-87

Sophomore running back Stanley "Boom" Williams rushed 13 times for 115 yards on Saturday as Kentucky fell to Vanderbilt 21-17 in Nashville. Williams had rushes of 66 and 38 yards in his return from an elbow injury. Kentucky (4-6, 2-6 SEC) got on the board first in the game, as Austin MacGinnis hit a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter. But Vandy took its first lead later in that period when Kyle Shurmur hit Kyle Anderton for a four-yard touchdown to give the Commodores a 7-3 lead. nIn the second quarter, Kentucky got into the end zone when redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Barker connected with Ryan Timmons on a seven-yard pass to make it 10-7 Kentucky. That marked Barker's first career touchdown pass.

On Kentucky's next possession, Barker was intercepted by Oren Burks, who returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown to give Vanderbilt a 14-10 lead before the half. Vanderbilt (4-6, 2-4 SEC) tacked on another touchdown before the half when Shurmur connected with Caleb Scott on a 37-yard pass, giving the Commodores a 21-10 lead at the break. The second half was largely dominated by the defenses. In fact, the only score after the break came when Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp found the end zone from two yards out with 1:06 left in the third quarter, pulling Kentucky within four points.

Vs. Charlotte

Charlotte 49ers vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Charlotte	0	3	0	7	10
Kentucky	10	10	17	21	58

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: November 21, 2015
• Game time: 7:30 PM
• Game weather: 38 deg, cloudy
• Game attendance: 56,195
• Referee: Tom Ritter
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Dave Baker (Play-by-play), Clint Stoerner (Analyst)
• Sources:

Game information

First Quarter 08:14 UK - Jojo Kemp 6 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 10-85 3:50 (UK 7–0) 00:15 UK - Miles Butler 21 yd field goal, 14-76 5:35 (UK 10–0) Second Quarter 13:04 CHAR - Blake Brewer 23 yd field goal, 9-66 2:06 (UK 10–3) 07:53 UK - Jojo Kemp 18 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 12-74 5:04 (UK 17–3) 02:46 UK - Miles Butler 46 yd field goal, 9-30 3:53 (UK 20–3) Third Quarter 13:05 UK - Stanley Williams 20 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 1-20 0:05 (UK 27–3) 06:17 UK - Stanley Williams 53 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 2-57 0:53 (UK 34–3) 02:39 UK - Miles Butler 32 yd field goal, 4-0 0:52 (UK 37–3) Fourth Quarter 14:20 UK - Jojo Kemp 47 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 4-92 1:09 (UK 44–3) 13:08 UK - Mike Edwards 20 yd interception return (Miles Butler kick) (UK 51–3) 10:22 UK - Sihiem King 62 yd run (Miles Butler kick), 2-66 1:02 (UK 58–3) 04:54 CHAR - Zach Bumgarner 3 yd pass from Brooks Barden (Blake Brewer kick), 2-9 0:37 (UK 58–10) Top Passers CHAR – Barden - 11/25, 87 yards, 1 TD UK – Barker - 16/29, 129 yards Top Rushers CHAR – Buie - 23 carries, 76 yards UK – Kemp - 11 carries, 165 yards, 3 TDs Top Receiving CHAR – Bostick - 2 receptions, 14 yards UK – Johnson - 5 receptions, 33 yards

For the first time in five weeks, Kentucky players and coaches happily talked about building on a victorious performance instead of wondering what might have been in defeat. In fact, the Wildcats executed so well against Charlotte that topping the effort might be tough. Jojo Kemp rushed for three touchdowns, Boom Williams ran for two and Kentucky rolled up 544 yards in a 58-10 blowout of Charlotte Saturday night that ended a five-game losing streak.

Kemp broke TD runs of 6, 18, and 47 yards, Williams scored from 20 and 53 yards and Sihiem King added a 62-yarder as Kentucky (5-6) rushed for 415 yards, fourth most in school history. Mike Edwards returned an interception 20 yards for another Wildcats score that handed the 49ers (2-9) their ninth straight loss. Redshirt freshman Drew Barker added 129 yards passing in his first career start for Kentucky, which earned the first of two wins needed to reach the threshold for bowl eligibility. The Wildcats' defense held Charlotte to just 233 yards, recorded four sacks and forced three turnovers. Miles Butler kicked field goals of 21, 46 and 32 yards for Kentucky. Kentucky registered 50 points for the first time since August 2014 against UT Martin, and their 48-point victory margin was its largest since beating UTEP 77-17 in 2002.

Vs. Louisville

Louisville Cardinals vs Kentucky Wildcats – Game summary

	1	2	3	4	Total
Louisville	7	0	17	14	38
Kentucky	21	3	0	0	24

at Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky

• Date: November 28, 2015
• Game time: 12:00 PM
• Game weather: 59 deg, cloudy
• Game attendance: 62,512
• Referee: Riley Johnson
• TV announcers (SEC Network): Dave Neal (Play-by-play), Andre Ware (Analyst)
• Sources:

Game information

First Quarter 09:15 UK - Drew Barker 1 yd run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 10-75 5:45 (UK 7–0) 07:30 UK - Stanley Williams 6 yd run (Austin MacGinnis kick), 2-13 0:49 (UK 14–0) 04:42 UK - Josh Forrest 81 yd interception return (Austin MacGinnis kick) (UK 21–0) 03:21 LOU - Jackson, L. 16 yd run (Wallace, J. kick), 3-57 1:21 (UK 21–7) Second Quarter 00:00 UK - Miles Butler 20 yd field goal, 13-69 6:47 (UK 24–7) Third Quarter 07:45 LOU - Wallace, J. 37 yd field goal, 11-59 5:23 (UK 24–10) 02:40 LOU - Radcliff, B. 6 yd run (Wallace, J. kick), 6-66 2:01 (UK 24–17) 00:02 LOU - Quick, J. 35 yd pass from Jackson, L. (Wallace, J. kick), 4-68 1:19 (Tied 24–24) Fourth Quarter 10:17 LOU - Radcliff, B. 4 yd run (Wallace, J. kick), 3-34 0:41 (UL 31–24) 04:02 LOU - Jackson, L. 13 yd run (Wallace, J. kick), 1-13 0:07 (UL 38–24) Top Passers UL – Jackson - 8/21, 130 yards, 1 TD/1 INT UK – Barker - 6/22, 128 yards Top Rushers UL – Jackson - 17 carries, 186 yards, 2 TDs UK – Horton - 13 carries, 44 yards Top Receiving UL – Quick - 4 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD UK – Baker - 3 receptions, 94 yards

The Kentucky Wildcats raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter but could not hold on, as Louisville rallied for a 38-24 win at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. Kentucky received the opening kickoff and marched down the field, taking a 7-0 lead on a one-yard rush by quarterback Drew Barker. After an A.J. Stamps interception, Kentucky took advantage of a short field, going 13 yards in two plays, capped off by a six-yard touchdown rush by Boom Williams to make it 14-0 Kentucky.

On Louisville's next possession, Kentucky intercepted Louisville quarterback Kyle Bolin for the second time, and Josh Forrest returned the pick 81 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-0, still in the first quarter. Louisville got on the board late in the first quarter when backup quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed 16 yards for a score to make it 21-7. In the second quarter, Kentucky added a 20-yard field goal by Miles Butler to take a 24-7 lead, which would be the halftime score. Louisville rallied in the second half, eventually taking the lead late in the third quarter, and going on to the victory. Dorian Baker had three catches for 94 yards for Kentucky, while Mikel Horton had 44 yards on the ground to lead the Cats.

Team statistics

UK OPP Scoring 157 139   Points per Game 26.2 21.2 First Downs 118 131   Rushing 47 57   Passing 61 58   Penalty 10 16 Rushing Yardage 813 1,005   Rushing Attempts 212 249   Avg per Rush 3.8 4.0   Avg per Game 135.5 167.5   TDs Rushing 11 12 Passing Yardage 1,512 1,244   Comp-Att-Int 123-200-7 110-185-4   Avg per Game 252.0 207.3   TDs Passing 8 4

UK OPP Total Offense 2,325 2,249   Avg per Play 5.6 5.2   Avg per Game 387.5 374.8 Fumbles–Lost 7–1 7–3 Penalties–Yards 35–339 38–337   Avg per Game 56.5 56.2 Punts–Yards 29–1,156 30–1,235   Net punt avg 36.1 38.1 Time of Possession/Game 28:52 31:08 3rd Down Conversions 36/89 36/90 4th Down Conversions 8/10 7/10 Touchdowns Scored 19 16 Field Goals–Attempts 8–9 9–12 PAT–Attempts 17–19 12–13 Attendance 310,768 82,178   Games/Avg per Game 62,154 82,178

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	RV	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Coaches	RV	NR	RV	NR	RV	RV	RV	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
CFP	Not released									NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	Not released

References

1. Tucker, Kyle (November 30, 2014). "UK's Neal Brown Announced as Troy Head Coach". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
2. Hicks, Tommy (November 30, 2014). "Troy Confirms Kentucky Offensive Coordinator Neal Brown Has Accepted Job as Trojans' Next Head Coach". The Birmingham News. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
3. Lintner, Jonathan (December 19, 2014). "It's Official: Dawson Hired as UK Coordinator". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
4. Haney, Travis (December 19, 2014). "UK Hires Shannon Dawson as O-Boss". ESPN. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
5. Tucker, Kyle (December 18, 2014). "UK Football Assistant Craig Naivar Leaving". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
6. Tucker, Kyle (February 4, 2015). "UK's Stoops Confirms Buh Hire, Staff Shakeup". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
7. Tucker, Kyle (January 11, 2015). "UK Quarterback Maxwell Smith to Transfer". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
8. "Braylon Heard Declares for NFL Draft". University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. January 14, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
9. Smith, Jennifer (January 14, 2015). "Kentucky Junior Running Back Braylon Heard to Enter NFL Draft". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
10. Tucker, Kyle (February 4, 2015). "UK Running Back Josh Clemons to Transfer". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
11. Smith, Jennifer (January 21, 2015). "Kentucky Announces Early Enrollees". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
12. "ESPNU 300 Class of 2015". ESPN. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
13. Tucker, Kyle (February 4, 2015). "UK Rides Roller Coaster, Signs Strong Class". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
14. Roberts, Ben (February 4, 2015). "Late Flurry Elevates UK". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
15. Jones, Steve (December 11, 2014). "2 Nebraska Football Players Transferring to UK". The Courier-Journal. Louisville. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
16. "Football – 2015 Coaches". University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
17. "Football Announces 2015 Schedule, Including 8 Home Games" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats Athletics. October 14, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
18. "2015 Kentucky Wildcats Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
19. "Louisiana-Lafayette pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. August 31, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
20. "Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Kentucky: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
21. "South Carolina pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 7, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
22. "Kentucky vs South Carolina: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
23. "Florida pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
24. "Florida vs. Kentucky: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
25. "Missouri pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
26. "Missouri vs. Kentucky: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
27. "Eastern Kentucky pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 28, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
28. "Eastern Kentucky vs. Kentucky: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
29. "Auburn pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 12, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
30. "Auburn vs. Kentucky: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
31. "Mississippi State pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
32. "Kentucky vs Mississippi State: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 24, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
33. "Tennessee pre-game notes". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 26, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
34. "Kentucky vs Tennessee: Scoring Summary". UKAthletics.com. University of Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.