On Thursdays throughout the 2015 season we will take a trip down memory lane and look back at past great plays, players and games associated with University of Kentucky football for that given week. So be sure to check back with us each and every Thursday to relive the moments that make this football program so special.
Oct. 18
• 1947: Kentucky shut out No. 10 Vanderbilt 14-0 in the school’s first victory on the road against a ranked opponent.
• 1952: The Wildcats had a tough time holding onto the ball, setting school records for most fumbles (11) and most fumbles lost (6), in their 27-14 loss against Mississippi State.
• 1975: Sonny Collins rushed for 192 yards, at the time the third most in school history, but it wasn’t enough for the Wildcats in their 17-14 loss to LSU.
• 1997: Kentucky started off hot, tying a school record with 21 first-quarter points, in their convincing 49-14 win over Northeast Louisiana. Quarterback Tim Couch threw six touchdown passes, tied for the third most in school history, and 428 yards, his sixth career 300-yard passing game. Kentucky was effective moving the chains on offense through the air, setting a then-school record with 22 first downs by passing. The offense was also led by two 100-yard receivers, Lance Mickelsen (131) and Craig Yeast (130).
• 2003: Shane Boyd did it all on offense, becoming the first player in school history to have a passing, receiving, and rushing touchdown in the same game as Kentucky defeated Ohio, 35-14.
• 2008: Kentucky overcame a 13-point fourth quarter deficit, at the time tying a school record for best fourth quarter comeback, in their 21-20 victory over Arkansas. Alfonso Smith had a career-high 108 receiving yards to pace the offense.
Oct. 19
• 2002: Derek Abney returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown, the fifth longest punt return in school history, as Kentucky defeated Arkansas, 29-17. The offense was led by Aaron Boone’s 102 receiving yards, his second career 100-yard receiving game.
Oct. 20
• 1951: Steve Meilinger had 108 receiving yards, his first career 100-yard receiving game, as the Wildcats defeated No. 12 Villanova, 35-13.
• 1979: Kentucky had two 100-yard rushers, Shawn Donigan (138) and Terry Henry (122), as the Wildcats were narrowly defeated by LSU, 23-19.
• 1990: Linebacker Randy Holleran was all over the field on defense, setting a school record with 29 total tackles, as Kentucky lost to LSU, 30-20. The offense was led by Al Baker’s 159 rushing yards, his first career 100-yard rushing game.
• 2007: The focus of the college football world was centered on Lexington as ESPN’s College GameDay show made a trip to Kentucky’s campus for the first time ever. The excitement spilled over to the game as there was a Commonwealth Stadium-record crowd of 71,024 fans to witness the Wildcats take on the Florida Gators. Although Kentucky lost to Florida, 45-37, Andre’ Woodson passed for 415 yards, at the time his second-highest career passing total. The offense was also led by a pair of 100-yard receivers, Stevie Johnson (128) and Dicky Lyons, Jr. (124).
Oct. 21
• 1916: Kentucky battled with Sewanee to a scoreless draw, the school’s 10th tie in program history.
• 1961: Jerry Woolum connected with Tom Hutchinson on a 77-yard touchdown pass, at the time the longest pass play in school history, as the Wildcats lost to LSU, 24-14.
• 1972: John Tatterson had a 71-yard punt, at the time tying the school record for longest punt, as Kentucky was shutout by LSU, 10-0.
• 1989: Alfred Rawls had a career-high 192 rushing yards, capped off by a 73-yard touchdown run, in the Wildcats’ 27-21 victory over LSU.
• 1995: Moe Williams rushed for 117 yards, his 10th career 100-yard rushing game, as Kentucky lost to Georgia, 12-3.
• 2000: Jared Lorenzen set school records for most total offense (525 yards) and most passing yards (528) as the Wildcats lost to Georgia, 34-30. Jared’s performance was capped off by three long passing plays: 89 yards to Derek Smith (third-longest passing play in school history), 86 yards to Ernest Simms (the sixth-longest passing play in school history) and 75 yards to Quentin McCord (tied for the 23rd-longest passing play in school history). The offense was also led by a pair of 100-yard receivers, Quentin McCord (126) and Derek Smith (108).
Oct. 22
• 1977: The Wildcats received the royal treatment when Prince Charles of Wales attended his first ever football game in Athens. Prince Charles was introduced to head coach Fran Curci and All-American Art Still at halftime. Kentucky put on a show for the Prince, shutting out Georgia, 33-0. Art Still also set a then-school record with five tackles for loss. Kentucky’s special teams play was capped off by Joe Bryant’s two made field goals of 51 yards.
• 1988: Alfred Rawls rushed for 128 yards, his second career 100-yard rushing game, as Kentucky upset No. 11 Georgia, 16-10. This was Kentucky’s first regular-season win over a ranked opponent since 1977.
• 1994: Moe Williams rushed for 147 yards, his sixth career 100-yard rushing game, as Kentucky lost to Georgia, 34-30.
• 2005: Quarterback Curtis Pulley made an impact on special teams, setting a school record with two blocked field goals, but it wasn’t enough for the Wildcats as they lost to Ole Miss, 13-7.
• 2011: CoShik Williams rushed for a career-high 148 yards in Kentucky’s convincing 38-14 win over Jacksonville State.
Oct. 23
• 1954: Kentucky upset No. 15 Georgia Tech 13-6 in Atlanta, the school’s second ever road win over a ranked SEC opponent.
• 1965: Kentucky scored all 28 of its points in the second quarter, tied for the second most points scored in a second quarter in school history, as the Wildcats upset No. 10 Georgia, 28-10.
• 1993: Moe Williams rushed for 159 yards, his third career 100-yard rushing game, as the Wildcats lost to Georgia, 33-28.
• 1999: Tight end James Whalen tied a school record with four touchdown receptions and had a career-high 151 receiving yards as Kentucky lost in a shootout to Georgia, 49-34. There was no ground attack for Kentucky in this game as the Wildcats set a school record for fewest rushing yards, negative-50. The offense was also led by Dusty Bonner’s 421 passing yards, his second career 400-yard passing game, and Kendrick Shanklin’s career-high 124 receiving yards.
• 2010: Quarterback Mike Hartline passed for a career-high 353 yards as Kentucky lost to Georgia, 44-31.
Oct. 24
• 1903: Kentucky shut out Miami (Ohio), 43-0, in the school’s 100th game played.
• 1959: Charles Sturgeon rushed for a career-high 144 yards in Kentucky’s 14-7 defeat to Georgia.
• 1970: Bernie Scruggs had a career-high 104 rushing yards, including an 88-yard run, tied for the second longest running play in school history, as Kentucky lost to Georgia, 19-3.
• 1987: Linebacker Jeff Kremer set a then-school record with 25 total tackles in Kentucky’s 17-14 defeat to the Georgia Bulldogs.
• 1998: Quarterback Tim Couch displayed his pinpoint accuracy, completing thirteen consecutive passing attempts, tied for the second most in school history, but it wasn’t enough for the Wildcats as they narrowly lost to Georgia, 28-26. Couch passed for 326 yards, his seventeenth career 300-yard passing game. Kentucky’s offense was also led by two 100-yard receivers, Kevin Coleman (100) and Craig Yeast (100). The Wildcats’ defense was led by Jeff Zurcher’s sixteen solo tackles, which tied a school record.
• 2009: Randall Cobb had a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown, tied for the eleventh longest punt return in school history, as Kentucky easily handled Louisiana-Monroe, 36-13.
