January 23, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 1999 University of Kentucky football team will be challenged by one ofthe nation’s most formidable set of opponents as the Wildcats’ schedule wasreleased Saturday by UK Athletics Director C. M. Newton.

Kentucky’s upcoming slate features seven teams that won seven or moregames in 1998, six teams that played in bowl games, one of the top teams inDivision I-AA football, and a regular-season finale against the defendingnational champion, Tennessee.

Kentucky begins the ’99 campaign with three non-conference games.Intrastate rival Louisville returns to open the season on Sept. 4 in thefirst game in expanded Commonwealth Stadium. Heisman Trophy candidateChris Redman leads the Cardinals, winners of seven games a year ago undernew coach John L. Smith.

For the second consecutive season, the Wildcats will play a prominentDivision I-AA opponent as the Connecticut Huskies come to Lexington onSept. 11. The Huskies were 10-3 last season and advanced to the secondround of the I-AA playoffs. Two of Connecticut’s victories in the regularseason came against eventual I-AA national champion Massachusetts.

Kentucky’s first road trip will be to Bloomington, Ind., on Sept. 18against the up-and-coming Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana improved to 4-7 lastseason, including three narrow losses, and returns 39 of its top 44 playerson the depth chart.

The Wildcats begin Southeastern Conference play at home Sept. 25 againstFlorida. Additional SEC home games are against Arkansas (Oct. 2),Louisiana State (Oct. 16), and the finale vs. national champ Tennessee(Nov. 20).

All totaled, Kentucky’s home schedule will be perhaps the nation’s mostentertaining. In the final Associated Press poll, Tennessee was ranked No.1, Florida No. 5, and Arkansas No. 16. Traditional power LSU, in-staterival Louisville, and I-AA stalwart Connecticut round out the home slate.A similar home schedule in 1997 was called “the best season ticket inAmerica” by USA Today.

On the road in league play, Kentucky takes on South Carolina (Oct. 9),Georgia (Oct. 23), Mississippi State (Nov. 6), and Vanderbilt (Nov. 13).

   Date      Opponent              Time       1998 Record               1998 Post-SeasonSept. 4   Louisville            1:30 p.m.   7-5, 4-2 Conference USA  Motor City BowlSept. 11  Connecticut           1:30 p.m.  10-3, 6-2 Atlantic 10     Second round Div.I-AA playoffsSept. 18  at Indiana            2:00 p.m.   4-7, 2-6 Big TenSept. 25  Florida               1:30 p.m.  10-2, 7-1 SEC             Orange Bowl      Oct. 2    Arkansas              1:30 p.m.   9-3, 6-2 SEC             Citrus BowlOct. 9    at South Carolina     TBA         1-10, 0-8 SEC   Oct. 16   Louisiana State       7:00 p.m.   4-7, 2-6 SECOct. 23   at Georgia            TBA         9-3, 6-2 SEC             Peach BowlOct. 30   openNov. 6    at Mississippi State  TBA         8-5, 6-2 SEC             Cotton BowlNov. 13   at Vanderbilt         TBA         2-9, 1-7 SEC      Nov. 20   Tennessee             1:30 p.m.  13-0, 8-0 SEC             Fiesta Bowl

(All times Eastern and subject to change)

Additional Schedule Notes: Kentucky will play its 1999 home schedule inexpanded and renovated Commonwealth Stadium. Both end zones are beingenclosed and 40 suites also are being constructed This will be the sixthmeeting of Kentucky and Louisville since the renewal of the rivalry in1994. Kentucky has won three games and Louisville has won two since therenewal If Kentucky wins the Connecticut game, the Wildcats can count thevictory toward the minimum of six necessary to qualify for a bowl game.Because the Wildcats won seven games in 1998, the win over Eastern Kentuckywas not claimed toward the minimum needed to be a bowl qualifier. An NCAArule allows Division I-A teams to count a victory over a I-AA team for bowlqualification once every four years This will be the first football gamebetween Kentucky and Connecticut.

Kentucky has an all-time record of 7-1-1against teams currently comprising the Atlantic 10 Conference, all againstVillanova Connecticut is in the process of upgrading its football programto Division I-A status. No definite timetable has been established, butthe move could be completed as early as the 2000 season Two Wildcatsopponents have new coaches in 1999. The new UConn coach is Randy Edsall,former defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech. Edsall took over for SkipHoltz, who left to join his father, Lou Holtz, the new coach at SouthCarolina Kentucky’s home schedule has only one conflict with the fallmeet at Keeneland Race Course, so the Wildcats have just one home nightgame scheduled at this point – Oct. 16 vs. Louisiana State. (Game timesare subject to change.)