The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 students attend the university. Historically, the women's teams and athletes were referred to as the "Lady Kats", but all athletic squads adopted the "Wildcats" nickname in 1995. Collectively, the fans of the Kentucky Wildcats are often referred to as the Big Blue Nation. Their main and most intense rival is the University of Louisville. The Wildcats are composed of 25 varsity teams that compete nationally—23 in NCAA-recognized sports, plus the cheerleading squad and dance team.
Richard Llewellyn Brooks is a retired American football player and coach. He was the head coach at the University of Oregon from 1977 to 1994, the National Football League (NFL)'s St. Louis Rams from 1995 to 1996, and the University of Kentucky from 2003 to 2009.
The 2003 Arkansas vs. Kentucky football game was a college football game played on November 1, 2003, between the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the University of Kentucky Wildcats; at the time, it tied an NCAA record for the longest football game ever played. The game included seven overtime periods. Penn State and the Illinois beat that record in October 2021, albeit under different overtime rules. Arkansas led the game all but a few minutes of regulation until a Kentucky touchdown drive in the last few minutes tied it at 24–24. Both teams had a blocked punt recovered for a touchdown, another rarity. The game ended in the seventh overtime period when Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen fumbled the football on a quarterback keeper play, ending the game.
James Mason Donnan III is an American former college football coach and former player who is now a television analyst and a motivational speaker. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University (1990–1995) and the University of Georgia (1996–2000), compiling a career record of 104–40. His 1992 Marshall team won an NCAA Division I-AA national title. Donnan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2009.
Joe "Joker" Phillips Jr. is an American football coach and former player. He is the assistant head football coach and wide receivers coach at North Carolina State University, a position he has held since the 2021 season. Phillips served as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky from 2010 to 2012.
The Kentucky Wildcats football program represents the University of Kentucky in the sport of American football. The Wildcats compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Wildcats play their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky and are led by head coach Mark Stoops.
The Stony Brook Seawolves are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Stony Brook University (SBU) in Stony Brook, New York. The Seawolves play as members of the Coastal Athletic Association, which competes at the NCAA Division I level. Stony Brook had previously been a part of the America East Conference from 2001 to 2022, though has competed in CAA Football since 2013. The university's mascot is Wolfie the Seawolf, and the official colors of the Seawolves are red, grey, and blue.
William T. Brooks Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Brooks was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL draft. He played in the NFL from 1986 to 1996 for the Colts, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Redskins. Brooks played college football for Boston University.
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed in the Southeastern Conference in its eastern division. They finished the season with a record of 7–6 and 3–5 in conference play, and were defeated by Clemson 21–13 in the Music City Bowl.
The Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers football program represents Kentucky Wesleyan College in college football as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. The college's football program began in 1907, lasting until 1930, when it was discontinued due to financial reasons. In 1982, the decision was made to re-establish a football program at the school, with the school resuming football operations the following year. Initially, the Panthers were an NCAA Division III team, unaffiliated with any conference, and also played only a season in the NAIA. They moved into Division II beginning with the 1994 football season.
Ron Hudson is an American football coach. He is best known for his tenure as the offensive coordinator of the Kansas State University football team. Hudson coached at Kansas State between 1995 and 2002. He also served the offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
The Morehead State Eagles football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Morehead State University located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Pioneer Football League, the only public school in the conference. Morehead State's first football team was fielded in 1927. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat Jayne Stadium in Morehead, Kentucky.
1950 Orange Bowl was the sixteenth edition of the bowl game, played at Burdine Stadium in Miami, Florida, on Monday, January 2, 1950. The game featured the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference and the Santa Clara Broncos, an independent from northern California.
The 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The season began on September 1, 2011, and concluded with the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game on January 7, 2012, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won their first FCS championship, defeating Sam Houston State by a final score of 17–6.
The Battle for the Red Belt is an American college football rivalry between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team of Western Kentucky University and the Murray State Racers football team of Murray State University. The rivalry began as an in-conference rivalry within the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), but both schools have since departed for other conferences. The Hilltoppers were the first to move, transitioning to the Football Bowl Subdivision and playing as an independent in the 2008 season before moving football to the Sun Belt Conference in 2009, followed by a move to Conference USA in 2014. The Racers, which remain in the Football Championship Subdivision to this day, played their final OVC season in 2022, and joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023. The rivalry has continued as a trophy game, although it is no longer played on an annual basis.
The 2006 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They participated as members of the Southeastern Conference in the Eastern Division. They played their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. The team was coached by Rich Brooks.
The 2004 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team participated as members of the Southeastern Conference in the Eastern Division. They played their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
The 2005 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. They participated as members of the Southeastern Conference in the Eastern Division. They played their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. The team was coached by Rich Brooks.
The 1980 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their eighth season under head coach Fran Curci, the Wildcats compiled a 3–8 record, finished in eighth place in the SEC, and were outscored by their opponents, 280 to 167. The team played its home games in Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
