The 1978 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth season under head coach Fran Curci, the Wildcats compiled a 4–6–1 record (2–4 against SEC opponents), finished in a tie for seventh place in the SEC, and outscored their opponents, 193 to 189.[1][2] The team played its home games in Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
| 1978 Kentucky Wildcats football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Record | 4–6–1 (2–4 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Perry Moss (2nd season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Charlie Bailey (4th season) |
| Home stadium | Commonwealth Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Alabama $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Georgia | 5 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team's statistical leaders included Larry McCrimmon with 752 passing yards, Fred Williams with 313 rushing yards, and Felix Wilson with 727 receiving yards. Kentucky began the year ranked 17th, but fell out of the polls after week one.[3]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 16 | at South Carolina* | T 14–14 | 56,385 | [4] | |||
| September 23 | Baylor* | W 25–21 | 57,793 | [5] | |||
| September 30 | at No. 15 Maryland* | L 3–20 | 42,873 | [6] | |||
| October 7 | No. 5 Penn State* |
| L 0–30 | 58,068 | [7] | ||
| October 14 | at Ole Miss | W 24–17 | 38,290 | [8] | |||
| October 21 | No. 16 LSU |
| L 0–21 | 57,918 | [9] | ||
| October 28 | No. 16 Georgia |
| L 16–17 | 56,918 | [10] | ||
| November 4 | at Virginia Tech* | W 28–0 | 36,000 | [11] | |||
| November 11 | Vanderbilt |
| W 53–2 | 57,800 | [12] | ||
| November 18 | Florida |
| L 16–18 | 56,500 | [13] | ||
| November 25 | at Tennessee | L 14–29 | 84,926 | [14] | |||
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References
edit- ^ "1978 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ "Kentucky Football Media Guide". University of Kentucky. 2015. p. 184. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ "1978 Kentucky Wildcats Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
- ^ Herman Helms (September 17, 1978). "Kentucky Rallies, Deadlocks USC". The State. pp. 1C, 2C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ D.G. FitzMaurice (September 24, 1978). "UK 25, Baylor 21: A Wacky Wildcat Win". Sunday Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bill Free (October 1, 1978). "Maryland overpowers Kentucky". The Baltimore Sun. pp. C1, C13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ John A. McGill (October 8, 1978). "Lions Maul Sluggish Wildcats 30-0". Sunday Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ David Crews (October 15, 1978). "Kentucky booms Ole Miss 24-17". The Greenwood Commonwealth. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ D.G. FitzMaurice (October 22, 1978). "Alexander Halted but LSU Rolls, 21-0". Sunday Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ John A. McGill (October 29, 1978). "Delight Turns to Dejection as UK Falls 17-16". Sunday Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ed Richards (November 5, 1978). "Kentucky's Big Plays Doom VPI". Daily Press. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ D.G. FitzMaurice (November 12, 1978). "UK 53, Vandy 2, and It Wasn't That Close". Sunday Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ John A. McGill (November 19, 1978). "History Haunts As Field Goal Sinks Wildcats". The Lexington Herald. pp. C1, C7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ F.M. Williams (November 26, 1978). "Duncan's Foot Lifts Vol Fortunes". The Tennessean. pp. Sports 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.