1974 Kentucky Wildcats football team

The 1974 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The Wildcats scored 248 points while allowing 194 points, finishing 6–5 overall and 3–3 in the SEC.[1][2]

1974 Kentucky Wildcats football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record6–5 (3–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJon Mirilovich (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorBill Narduzzi (2nd season)
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
Seasons
← 1973
1975 →
1974 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Alabama $ 6 0 0 11 1 0
No. 8 Auburn 4 2 0 10 2 0
Georgia 4 2 0 6 6 0
No. 17 Mississippi State 3 3 0 9 3 0
No. 15 Florida 3 3 0 8 4 0
Kentucky 3 3 0 6 5 0
No. 20 Tennessee 2 3 1 7 3 2
Vanderbilt 2 3 1 7 3 2
LSU 2 4 0 5 5 1
Ole Miss 0 6 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Mike Fanuzzi and Tom Ehlers were chosen as team captains.[2]

Kentucky opened with a 38–7 win at Virginia Tech, followed by a 16–3 road loss at West Virginia. A 28–22 home win against Indiana was next, then a 14–10 loss to Miami (Ohio).[1][2]

Kentucky lost its SEC opener on the road at Auburn, 31–13, but followed with a 20–13 home win against LSU, the Wildcats' first victory vs. the Bayou Bengals since 1960. A 24–20 home loss to Georgia was followed by a 30–7 win at Tulane. Kentucky then won two conference games at home, 38–12 against Vanderbilt and 41–24 against #9-ranked Florida (7–2). Florida already received an invitation to the Sugar Bowl, while Kentucky, at 5–4, was looking to clinch its first winning season since 1965. Florida jumped out to a 17–6 lead but Kentucky outscored the Gators 35–7 the rest of the way, causing three Florida fumbles, intercepting two passes and blocking two punts.[3] Kentucky closed its season with a 24–7 loss at Tennessee for a final mark of 6–5 overall and 3–3 in the SEC.[1][2]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 14at Virginia Tech*W 38–723,000[4]
September 21at West Virginia*L 3–1628,200[5]
September 28Indiana*W 28–2256,000[6]
October 5Miami (OH)*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
L 10–1452,000[7]
October 12at No. 10 AuburnL 13–3152,111[8]
October 19LSU
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 20–1357,000[9]
October 26Georgia
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
L 20–2454,362[10]
November 2at Tulane*W 30–738,384[11]
November 9Vanderbilt
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
W 38–1256,000[12]
November 16No. 9 Florida
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
W 41–2445,000[13]
November 23at TennesseeL 7–2472,828[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[15][16]

Roster

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Team players in the 1975 NFL Draft

edit
Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Elmore Stephens Tight end 2 34 Kansas City Chiefs
Rick Nuzum Tackle 5 126 Los Angeles Rams
Tom Ehlers Linebacker 13 323 Philadelphia Eagles

[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "1974 Kentucky Wildcats game by game results". Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d 1997 Kentucky Football Media Guide, p.208
  3. ^ Story, Mark, UK football's greatest wins at Commonwealth, Lexington Herald-Leader, September 4, 2011
  4. ^ "Fanuzzi, Collins help UK blitz Va. Tech 38–7". The Courier-Journal. September 15, 1974. Retrieved January 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "West Virginia throttles Kentucky 16–3". Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel. September 22, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Late Indiana rally not enough". The Muncie Star. September 29, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Miami of Ohio wins 14–10, Kentucky squanders lead". The Park City Daily News. October 6, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Auburn stifles Kentucky". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 13, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Kentucky stuns LSU in 20–13 squeaker". The Miami Herald. October 20, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Syl the Sacker, puny punts doom UK 24–20". The Courier-Journal. October 27, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Collins' scamper, interceptions help UK throttle Tulane". The Courier-Journal. November 3, 1974. Retrieved January 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Kentucky pops Vandy". The Sunday Express-News. November 10, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Gators get 41–24 bump". Panama City News-Herald. November 17, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "UK's Curci gracious in loss". The Tennessean. November 24, 1974. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "College Football Reference". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  16. ^ 1997 Kentucky Football Media Guide, p.168
  17. ^ "1975 NFL Draft Listing | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.