1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team

The 1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Wildcats scored 138 points while allowing 322 points; they opened the season with 1 win and 6 losses, and then after the firing of head coach Bill Curry was announced, the Wildcats won three straight SEC games before losing their final game to finish 4–7.[1][2]

1996 Kentucky Wildcats football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Record4–7 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorElliot Uzelac (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorRick Smith (1st as DC, 7th overall season)
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
1996 Southeastern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Eastern Division
No. 1 Florida x$  8 –0   12 –1  
No. 9 Tennessee  7 –1   10 –2  
South Carolina  4 –4   6 –5  
Kentucky  3 –5   4 –7  
Georgia  3 –5   5 –6  
Vanderbilt  0 –8   2 –9  
Western Division
No. 11 Alabama xy  6 –2   10 –3  
No. 12 LSU x  6 –2   10 –2  
No. 24 Auburn  4 –4   8 –4  
Mississippi State  3 –5   5 –6  
Ole Miss  2 –6   5 –6  
Arkansas  2 –6   4 –7  
Championship: Florida 45, Alabama 30
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Kentucky opened with a 38–14 loss to Louisville, then lost 24–3 at Cincinnati due to repeated special teams breakdowns. A game in a driving rainstorm against Indiana remained a scoreless tie until the final seconds when a Kentucky field goal led to a 3–0 win. A 65–0 loss at Florida and 35–7 loss at Alabama were followed by Kentucky blowing a second half lead to lose 25–14 to South Carolina. After a 41–14 loss at LSU, Kentucky stood at 1–5 on the season and the firing of head coach Bill Curry was announced. The Wildcats responded by reeling off three victories in a row: 24–17 against Georgia, 24–21 against Mississippi State and 25–0 against Vanderbilt. A 56–10 loss to Tennessee ended the season with the Wildcats at 4–7.[3][4]

Kentucky's victories over Georgia and Mississippi State kept those two teams out of bowl games, as each finished 5–6 due to their losses to Kentucky. Kentucky's 25–0 shutout of Vanderbilt on November 16 was the team's first shutout since a 21–0 win against #25 Ole Miss on October 2, 1993.[5][6] Kentucky played four road games against ranked teams in 1996.[7] Kentucky's three game SEC win streak (Georgia, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt) was its first since 1993 (South Carolina, Ole Miss, LSU).[8][9] This was the first college season for highly touted freshman quarterback Tim Couch, who later went on to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and was the #1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.[10]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 316:30 p.m.Louisville*
L 14–3859,384[11]
September 73:30 p.m.at Cincinnati*
L 3–2430,729[12]
September 217:00 p.m.Indiana*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
W 3–040,500[13]
September 283:30 p.m.at No. 1 Florida
CBSL 0–6585,422[14]
October 52:00 p.m.at No. 13 Alabama
PPVL 7–3570,123[15]
October 127:00 p.m.South Carolina
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
L 14–2550,500[16]
October 198:00 p.m.at No. 17 LSU
PPVL 14–4179,660[17]
October 267:00 p.m.Georgia
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 24–1734,000[18]
November 91:30 p.m.Mississippi State
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 24–2126,500[19]
November 1612:30 p.m.Vanderbilt
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
JPSW 25–033,000[20]
November 233:30 p.m.at No. 9 Tennessee
CBSL 10–56102,534[21]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[22][23][24]

Roster
1996 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
QB 2 Tim Couch Fr
QB 7 Billy Jack Haskins Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 17 Van Hiles Jr
DE 47 Chris Ward Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Elliot Uzelac
    Offensive Coordinator
  • Rick Smith
    Defensive Coordinator
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Team players in the 1997 NFL Draft
PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Van HilesDefensive back5141Chicago Bears
Chris WardDefensive end7205Baltimore Ravens

[25][26]

Postseason

Leading rusher Derick Logan, the SEC Freshman Player of the Year, did not return. Head coach Bill Curry was replaced by Hal Mumme. Sometime-starting quarterback Billy Jack Haskins transferred to Rhode Island after Mumme announced that Tim Couch would take the starting spot.[27]

References
  1. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats results". jhowell.net. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  2. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  3. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  4. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.ent. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  5. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  6. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.ent. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  7. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
  8. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  9. "1996 Kentucky Wildcats scores". jhowell.net. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  10. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide
  11. "Red alert, Cardinals expose Cats' weakness in 38–14 victory". The Advocate-Messenger. September 1, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Lifeless Kentucky gets 24–3 burial from Cincinnati". The Courier-Journal. September 8, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Late field goal lifts Kentucky over IU". The Indianapolis Star. September 22, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Florida has reason to crow". The Tennessean. September 29, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "UK no mystery to Riddle as Alabama erupts 35–7". The Courier-Journal. October 6, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Gamecocks rally to beat Cats, 25–14". Messenger-Inquirer. October 13, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Tigers trounce Wildcats 41–14". The Sun Herald. October 20, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Kentucky beats Georgia behind lame-duck coach". The Greenville News. October 27, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Tilghman alumni lead UK to 3rd win". The Paducah Sun. November 10, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Kentucky ends drought against Vanderbilt 25–0". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 17, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Tennessee rolls past Wildcats 56–10". The State Journal. November 24, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. "College Football Reference". jhowell.net. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  23. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
  24. 1996 Kentucky football scores Archived 2009-10-06 at the Wayback Machine
  25. "1997 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on May 27, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  26. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.166
  27. 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide
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