1965 Kentucky Wildcats football team

The 1965 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference during the 1965 NCAA University Division football season. The Wildcats scored 202 points while allowing 160 points, finishing 6–4 overall, 3–3 in the SEC.^[1][2]

1965 Kentucky Wildcats football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 18
Record	6–4 (3–3 SEC)
Head coach	Charlie Bradshaw (4th season)
Captains	Sam Ball Rick Norton
Home stadium	McLean Stadium
Seasons ← 1964 1966 →

1965 Southeastern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Alabama $	6	–	1	–	1			9	–	1	–	1
Auburn	4	–	1	–	1			5	–	5	–	1
No. 7 Tennessee	3	–	1	–	2			8	–	1	–	2
Florida	4	–	2	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	5	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
No. 8 LSU	3	–	3	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Georgia	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Kentucky	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Vanderbilt	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	1
Tulane	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
Mississippi State	1	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion Tennessee's game against South Carolina and Georgia's game against Clemson counted in the conference standings. Rankings from AP Poll

Rick Norton and Sam Ball were chosen as team captains.^[2]

Kentucky opened with a 7–0 win at Missouri.^[2] Missouri finished the season ranked #6 in the nation, with a record of 8–2–1.^[3] Kentucky entered Week 2 of the season ranked #10 in the country.^[4]

The second game was a 16–7 win against Ole Miss.^[2] Kentucky advanced to a #6 ranking in the AP poll.^[4]

A loss at Auburn (23–18) was followed by a 26–24 win against Florida State.^[2] A 31–21 loss at LSU was followed by a 28–10 win over Georgia and a 28–8 victory over West Virginia. Kentucky then was ranked again in the AP poll, at #10.^[4]

Next was a 34–0 win over Vanderbilt.^[2] Kentucky retained its #10 ranking in the AP poll.^[4]

At that point Kentucky was offered a bid to the Gator Bowl but turned it down, hoping for a better bowl invitation. However, star quarterback Rick Norton suffered a broken leg in the next game, which ended up being a 38–21 loss at Houston, and a 19–3 loss to Tennessee left the Wildcats with a 6–4 record and no bowl game.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18	at Missouri*		Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO	W 7–0	44,550	[5]
September 25	Ole Miss	No. 10	McLean Stadium Lexington, KY	W 16–7	38,000	[6]
October 2	at Auburn	No. 6	Cliff Hare Stadium Auburn, AL	L 18–23	35,000	[7]
October 9	Florida State*		McLean Stadium Lexington, KY	W 26–24	37,500	[8]
October 16	at LSU		Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	L 21–31	68,000	[9]
October 23	No. 10 Georgia		McLean Stadium Lexington, KY	W 28–10	37,300	[10]
October 30	West Virginia*		McLean Stadium Lexington, KY	W 28–8	37,500	[11]
November 6	at Vanderbilt	No. 10	Dudley Field Nashville, TN (rivalry)	W 34–0	26,663	[12]
November 13	at Houston*	No. 10	Houston Astrodome Houston, TX	L 21–38	37,248	[13]
November 20	Tennessee		McLean Stadium Lexington, KY (rivalry)	L 3–19	38,000	[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Team players in the 1966 NFL and AFL drafts

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
Rick Norton	Quarterback	1	2	Miami Dolphins
Rodger Bird	Defensive back	1	10	Oakland Raiders
Sam Ball	Tackle	1	15	Baltimore Colts
Sam Ball	Tackle	2	14	New York Jets
Bob Windsor	Tight end	2	26	San Francisco 49ers
Rick Norton	Quarterback	2	29	Cleveland Browns
Rick Kestner	Wide receiver	3	47	Baltimore Colts
Doug Davis	Tackle	5	72	Minnesota Vikings
Rick Kestner	Wide receiver	18	155	Miami Dolphins

^[15]