2019 Kentucky Wildcats football team

The 2019 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, and competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by seventh-year head coach Mark Stoops.

2019 Kentucky Wildcats football
Belk Bowl champion
Belk Bowl, W 37–30 vs. Virginia Tech
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Eastern Division
Record	8–5 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach	Mark Stoops (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	Eddie Gran (4th season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Darin Hinshaw (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Brad White (1st season)[1]
Base defense	3–4 or 4–3
Home stadium	Kroger Field
Uniform
Seasons ← 2018 2020 →

2019 Southeastern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
No. 4 Georgia x		7	–	1					12	–	2
No. 6 Florida		6	–	2					11	–	2
Tennessee *		5	–	3					8	–	5
Kentucky		3	–	5					8	–	5
Missouri *		3	–	5					6	–	6
South Carolina		3	–	5					4	–	8
Vanderbilt		1	–	7					3	–	9
Western Division
No. 1 LSU x$#^		8	–	0					15	–	0
No. 8 Alabama		6	–	2					11	–	2
No. 14 Auburn		5	–	3					9	–	4
Texas A&M		4	–	4					8	–	5
Mississippi State		3	–	5					6	–	7
Ole Miss		2	–	6					4	–	8
Arkansas		0	–	8					2	–	10
Championship: LSU 37, Georgia 10
# – College Football Playoff champion ^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions * – Tennessee vacated all wins due to NCAA violations. Missouri was ineligible for postseason due to NCAA sanctions. Rankings from AP Poll

Preseason

SEC preseason poll

The 2019 SEC Media Days were held July 15–18 in Birmingham, Alabama. In the preseason media poll, Kentucky was projected to finish in sixth in the East Division.^[2]

Preseason All-SEC teams

The Wildcats had four players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.

Offense 3rd team Logan Stenberg – OL Drake Jackson – C

Defense 3rd team Kash Daniel – LB

Specialists 3rd team Lynn Bowden – all-purpose player

Schedule

Kentucky announced its 2019 football schedule on September 18, 2018.^[3]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	12:00 p.m.	Toledo*	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN	W 38–24	54,610
September 7	7:30 p.m.	Eastern Michigan*	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN Alt.	W 38–17	55,240
September 14	7:00 p.m.	No. 9 Florida	Kroger Field Lexington, KY (rivalry, SEC Nation)	ESPN	L 21–29	63,076
September 21	4:00 p.m.	at Mississippi State	Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS	SECN	L 13–28	54,556
September 28	7:30 p.m.	at South Carolina	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	SECN	L 7–24	80,828
October 12	7:30 p.m.	Arkansas	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN	W 24–20	57,060
October 19	6:00 p.m.	at No. 10 Georgia	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	ESPN	L 0–21	92,746
October 26	7:30 p.m.	Missouri	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN	W 29–7	48,446
November 9	7:30 p.m.	Tennessee	Kroger Field Lexington, KY (rivalry)	SECN	L 13–17	56,760
November 16	3:30 p.m.	at Vanderbilt	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry)	SECN	W 38–14	23,288
November 23	3:30 p.m.	UT Martin*	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN	W 50–7	41,495
November 30	12:00 p.m.	Louisville*	Kroger Field Lexington, KY (Governor's Cup)	SECN	W 45–13	48,336
December 31	12:00 p.m.	vs. Virginia Tech*	Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, NC (Belk Bowl)	ESPN	W 37–30	44,138
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings after November 5 released prior to game All times are in Eastern time

^[4]

Rankings

Further information: 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	—	—	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV
Coaches	RV	RV	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV
CFP	Not released										—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

Game summaries

Toledo

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rockets	7	7	3	7	24
Wildcats	0	14	10	14	38

See also: 2019 Toledo Rockets football team

Eastern Michigan

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	0	3	7	7	17
Wildcats	14	3	7	14	38

See also: 2019 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 9 Gators	7	0	3	19	29
Wildcats	0	14	7	0	21

See also: 2019 Florida Gators football team

At Mississippi State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	3	0	7	3	13
Bulldogs	7	14	0	7	28

See also: 2019 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

At South Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	0	0	0	7	7
Gamecocks	7	3	7	7	24

See also: 2019 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

Arkansas

Kroger Field during Kentucky's win over Arkansas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	7	6	0	7	20
Wildcats	0	7	10	7	24

See also: 2019 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

At Georgia

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	0	0	0	0	0
No. 10 Bulldogs	0	0	14	7	21

See also: 2019 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Missouri

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	0	7	0	7
Wildcats	0	22	0	7	29

See also: 2019 Missouri Tigers football team

Tennessee

	1	2	3	4	Total
Volunteers	0	3	14	0	17
Wildcats	13	0	0	0	13

See also: 2019 Tennessee Volunteers football team

At Vanderbilt

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	3	21	14	0	38
Commodores	14	0	0	0	14

See also: 2019 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

UT Martin

	1	2	3	4	Total
Skyhawks	0	0	0	7	7
Wildcats	16	13	7	14	50

See also: 2019 UT Martin Skyhawks football team

Louisville

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	6	7	0	0	13
Wildcats	7	10	14	14	45

See also: 2019 Louisville Cardinals football team

Vs. Virginia Tech (Belk Bowl)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hokies	10	7	10	3	30
Wildcats	7	7	10	13	37

See also: 2019 Virginia Tech Hokies football team and 2019 Belk Bowl

^[5]

Personnel

Coaching staff

Name	Position
Mark Stoops	Head coach
Eddie Gran	Offensive coordinator/Associate head coach, RB Coach
Darin Hinshaw	Co-offensive coordinator, Quarterbacks coach
Brad White	Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach
Vince Marrow	Tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator
Steve Clinkscale	Secondary Coach
Michael Smith	Wide receivers coach
John Schlarman	Offensive line coach
Derrick LeBlanc	Defensive line coach
Dean Hood	LB Coach/special teams coordinator

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2020 NFL draft

Kentucky had two players selected in the 2020 NFL draft.^[6]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
3	80	Lynn Bowden	WR	Las Vegas Raiders
4	121	Logan Stenberg	OG	Detroit Lions