2023 Kentucky Wildcats football team
2023 Kentucky Wildcats football | |
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Gator Bowl, L 35–38 vs. Clemson | |
Conference | Southeastern Conference |
East Division | |
Record | 7–6 (3–5 SEC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Liam Coen (2nd overall season) |
Offensive scheme | Multiple pro-style |
Defensive coordinator | Brad White (5th season) |
Base defense | 3–4 or 4–3 |
Home stadium | Kroger Field |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 4 Georgia xy | 8 | – | 0 | 13 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 8 Missouri | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 17 Tennessee | 4 | – | 4 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 5 Alabama xy$^ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Ole Miss | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 12 LSU | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas A&M | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi State | 1 | – | 7 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arkansas | 1 | – | 7 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Alabama 27, Georgia 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 2 | 12:00 p.m. | Ball State* | SECN | W 44–14 | 58,286 | ||
September 9 | 3:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky* |
| SECN+, ESPN+ | W 28–17 | 61,876 | |
September 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Akron* |
| ESPNU | W 35–3 | 59,456 | |
September 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Vanderbilt | SECN | W 45–28 | 26,279 | ||
September 30 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 22 Florida |
| ESPN | W 33–14 | 61,699 | |
October 7 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 1 Georgia | No. 20 |
| ESPN | L 13–51 | 92,746 |
October 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Missouri | No. 24 |
| SECN | L 21–38 | 61,654 |
October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 21 Tennessee |
| ESPN | L 27–33 | 61,665 | |
November 4 | 7:30 p.m. | at Mississippi State | SECN | W 24–3 | 52,329 | ||
November 11 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 8 Alabama |
| ESPN | L 21–49 | 61,936 | |
November 18 | 7:30 p.m. | at South Carolina | SECN | L 14–17 | 77,788 | ||
November 25 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 10 Louisville* | ABC | W 38–31 | 59,225 | ||
December 29 | 12:00 p.m. | vs. No. 22 Clemson* | ESPN | L 35–38 | 40,132 | ||
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Coaching staff
Name | Position | Years at Kentucky |
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Mark Stoops | Head coach | 11th |
Vince Marrow | Associate head coach/tight ends coach | 11th |
Liam Coen | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach | 2nd |
Brad White | Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach | 5th |
Jay Boulware | Running backs coach | 1st |
Mike Stoops | 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 |
Anwar Stewart | Defensive line coach | 4th |
Mark Hill | Strength and conditioning | 8th |
Reference: |
Game summaries
Ball State
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Ball State | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Kentucky | 3 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 44 |
at Kroger Field • Lexington, KY
- Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: -
- Game attendance: 58,286
- TV: SEC Network
Game information |
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Statistics | BALL | UK |
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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 | Marquez Cooper | 15 carries, 33 yards | |
Receiving | Ty Robinson | 5 receptions, 90 yards, TD | |
Kentucky | Passing | Devin Leary | 18/31, 241 yards, TD, INT |
Rushing | Ray Davis | 14 carries, 112 yards, 2 TD | |
Receiving | Dane Key | 5 receptions, 96 yards, TD |
Eastern Kentucky
Akron
at Vanderbilt
No. 22 Florida
Pregame line[4] | Over/under |
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Kentucky −1.5 | 43.5 |
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 22 Florida | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Kentucky | 16 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 33 |
at Kroger Field • Lexington, Kentucky
- Date: September 30
- Game time: 12:07 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Temperature: 78 °F (26 °C) • Wind: E at 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h) • Weather: sunny
- Game attendance: 61,699
- Referee: Matt Loeffler
- TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), and Katie George (sideline reporter)[5]
Game information |
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Statistics | Florida | Kentucky |
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First downs | 15 | 23 |
Plays–yards | 59–313 | 56–398 |
Rushes–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 |
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Florida | Passing | Graham Mertz | 25/30, 244 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
Rushing | Montrell Johnson Jr. | 10 carries, 42 yards | |
Receiving | Ricky Pearsall | 3 receptions, 62 yards, 1 TD | |
Kentucky | Passing | Devin Leary | 9/20, 69 yards, 1 TD |
Rushing | Ray Davis | 26 carries, 280 yards, 3 TD | |
Receiving | Barion Brown | 4 receptions, 37 yards |
at No. 1 Georgia
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 20 Kentucky | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
No. 1 Georgia | 14 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 51 |
at Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia
- Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: -
- Game attendance: 92,746
- Referee: Kyle Olson
- TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (color) and Molly McGrath (sideline)
Game information |
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Statistics | UK | UGA |
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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 | Carson Beck | 28/35, 389 yards, 4 TD, INT |
Rushing | Daijun Edwards | 9 carries, 54 yards | |
Receiving | Brock Bowers | 7 receptions, 132 yards, TD |
Missouri
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Missouri | 0 | 17 | 3 | 18 | 38 |
No. 24 Kentucky | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
at Kroger Field • Lexington, Kentucky
- Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
- Game weather: –
- Game attendance: 61,654
- TV announcers (SECN): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst), Cole Cubelic (sideline)
- Pregame line: UK −3.5 Over/Under: 50.5
Game information |
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Kentucky Wildcats TD 8:32 Ray Davis 7 Yd pass from Devin Leary (Alex Raynor Kick) 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:46 0–7 UK Kentucky Wildcats TD 2:09 Devin Leary 13 Yd Run (Alex Raynor Kick) 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:58 0–14 UK
Missouri Tigers TD 11:38 Marquis Johnson 39 Yd pass from Luke Bauer (Harrison Mevis Kick) 6 plays, 64 yards, 3:12 7–14 UK Missouri Tigers FG 4:44 Harrison Mevis 25 Yd Field Goal 13 plays, 56 yards, 4:55 10–14 UK Missouri Tigers TD 0:15 Theo Wease Jr. 18 Yd pass from Brady Cook (Harrison Mevis Kick) 8 plays, 61 yards, 1:25 17–14 MIZ
Missouri Tigers FG 11:54 Harrison Mevis 31 Yd Field Goal 6 plays, 17 yards, 2:53 20–14 MIZ Kentucky Wildcats TD 3:39 Anthony Brown-Stephens 4 Yd pass from Devin Leary (Alex Raynor Kick) 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:31 20–21 UK
Missouri Tigers TD 14:14 Brady Cook 1 Yd Run (Cody Schrader Run for Two-Point Conversion) 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:16 28–21 MIZ Missouri Tigers TD 11:07 Cody Schrader 19 Yd Run (Harrison Mevis Kick) 3 plays, 34 yards, 0:57 35–21 MIZ Missouri Tigers FG 3:17 Harrison Mevis 29 Yd Field Goal 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:58 38–21 MIZ |
Statistics | MIZZ | UK |
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First downs | 19 | 19 |
Total yards | 324 | 299 |
Rushing yards | 118 | 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 | 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
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 21 Tennessee | 10 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 33 |
Kentucky | 0 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Kroger Field, Lexington, Kentucky
- Date: October 28, 2023
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 61,665
- TV announcers (ESPN): TBD
Game information |
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Statistics | TENN | UK |
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First downs | 24 | 24 |
Total yards | 481 | 444 |
Rushing yards | 254 | 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 |
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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
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | 7 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
Mississippi State | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS
- Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
- Game time: TBD CST
- Game weather: –
- Game attendance: 52,329
- Referee: –
- TV announcers (SECN): TBD
Game information |
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Statistics | UK | MSST |
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First downs | 13 | 15 |
Total yards | 271 | 218 |
Rushing yards | 110 | 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 | Mike Wright | 11/21, 78 yards, INT |
Rushing | Seth Davis | 4 carries, 24 yards | |
Receiving | Zavion Thomas | 6 receptions, 44 yards |
No. 8 Alabama
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Statistics | Alabama | Kentucky |
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First downs | 23 | 11 |
Total yards | 444 | 253 |
Rushing yards | 159 | 95 |
Passing yards | 285 | 158 |
Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
Time of possession | 32:06 | 27:54 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Passing | Jalen Milroe | 15/22, 234 yards, 3 TD’s, 1 INT |
Rushing | Jase McClellan | 9 carries, 43 yards | |
Receiving | Kobe Prentice | 4 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD | |
Kentucky | Passing | Devin Leary | 17/31, 158 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
Rushing | Ramon Jefferson | 2 receptions, 73 yards | |
Receiving | Dane Key | 4 receptions, 46 yards |
at South Carolina
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
South Carolina | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina
- Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: –
- Game attendance: 77,788
- Referee: –
- TV announcers (SECN): TBD
Game information |
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Statistics | UK | SC |
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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 |
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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 | Spencer Rattler | 19/27, 207 yards, 2 TD |
Rushing | Mario Anderson | 13 carries, 27 yards | |
Receiving | Xavier Legette | 6 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TD |
at No. 10 Louisville
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | 0 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 38 |
No. 10 Louisville | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
at L&N Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky
- Date: November 25
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
- TV: ABC
Statistics | UK | LOU |
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First downs | ||
Plays–yards | ||
Rushes–yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Passing: comp–att–int | ||
Time of possession |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Louisville | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
vs. No. 22 Clemson (Gator Bowl)
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 22 Clemson | 3 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 38 |
Kentucky | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
at EverBank Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida
- Date: Friday, December 29, 2023
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 51 °F (11 °C) • Wind: 10 mph (16 km/h) W
- Game attendance: 40,132
- Referee: John Love
- TV announcers (ESPN): Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (color), Taylor Tannebaum (sideline)
- Box score
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Statistics | CLE | KEN |
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First downs | 24 | 12 |
Plays–yards | 80–367 | 51–398 |
Rushes–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 |
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Clemson | Passing | Cade Klubnik | 30/41, 264 yards, 1 INT |
Rushing | Phil Mafah | 11 carries, 71 yards, 4 TDs | |
Receiving | Jake Briningstool | 9 receptions, 91 yards | |
Kentucky | Passing | Devin Leary | 16/28, 306 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs |
Rushing | Ray Davis | 13 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD | |
Receiving | Barion Brown | 3 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD |
Rankings
Week | ||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 20 | 24 | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV |
Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 20 | 23 | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — |
CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
References
- ^ "Kentucky Wildcats Schedule 2023". ESPN. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results". College Football @ Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Football Schedule". University of Kentucky. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Kentucky betting
- ^ Kentucky pregame