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.
Nov. 1
• 1924: Kentucky was shutout by Centre College, 7-0, on the day that Stoll Field was dedicated as McLean Stadium, in memory of Price Innes McLean, a regular center on the 1923 UK squad who died as a result of injuries sustained in the Kentucky-Cincinnati game on Nov. 6, 1923.
• 1958: Glenn Shaw had a career-high 102 rushing yards in the Wildcats’ convincing 33-12 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
• 1997: Sophomore quarterback Tim Couch had his own aerial assault launched against LSU, throwing a then-school record 66 passes and 41 completions, in the Wildcats’ 63-28 loss to the Tigers. Kentucky also set a then-school record for most offensive plays (95). Couch ended up throwing for 410 yards, his second career 400-yard passing game, and Jimmy Robinson had a career-high 100 receiving yards.
• 2003: In a game that many felt would never end, the Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to the Arkansas Razorbacks, 71-63, in seven overtimes. The game tied the FBS record for most overtimes in a single game, and set a school record for most combined points scored in a single game. The offense was led by Jared Lorenzen’s 326 passing yards, his 15th and final 300-yard passing game.
• 2008: Tim Masthay booted a career long 72-yard punt, the fifth-longest punt in school history, as Kentucky squeaked out a victory against Mississippi State, 14-13.
Nov. 2
• 1946: Don Phelps became the first player in school history to score four touchdowns in a game, setting a then-school record with 24 points scored, in Kentucky’s 39-14 victory over Michigan State. One of Phelps’ rushing touchdowns was 85 yards, setting a then-school record for longest running play in school history.
• 1963: Darrell Cox had a career-high 130 rushing yards in the Wildcats’ 30-24 loss to the Miami Hurricanes.
• 1968: Dave Hunter picked off West Virginia’s quarterback at the goal line and returned the interception 100 yards for a touchdown, the longest interception return in school history, as the Wildcats defeated the Mountaineers, 35-16. This was Charlie Bradshaw’s last victory as head coach of the Wildcats.
• 1974: Sonny Collins rushed for 167 yards, his 12th career 100-yard rushing game, as the Wildcats soundly defeated Tulane, 30-7.
• 1991: Kentucky had a thrilling finish against Cincinnati when kicker Doug Pelfrey successfully made a 53-yard field goal, at the time tied for the longest made field goal in school history, on the final play of the game to secure the Wildcats’ 20-17 win over the Bearcats on Homecoming.
• 2002: Wide receiver Derek Abney made his presence felt on special teams with 136 punt return yards, the third most in school history, and a school-record two punt return touchdowns in Kentucky’s 45-24 win over Mississippi State. Derek’s 34 yards per punt return also set a school record for best average yardage per punt return (minimum of three punt returns). One of Derek’s punt return touchdowns was 69 yards, the 16th-longest punt return in school history. The offense was led by Artose Pinner’s 104 rushing yards, his ninth career 100-yard rushing game.
• 2013: Quarterback Jalen Whitlow rumbled 88 yards for a touchdown, tied for the second-longest running play in school history, as the Wildcats thoroughly defeated Alabama State, 48-14. As a result of that long run, Jalen Whitlow had a career-high 101 rushing yards that day.
Nov. 3
• 1951: The No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats shut out the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes, 32-0, in Kentucky’s largest shutout win over a ranked opponent in school history.
• 1956: Bill Mitchell returned a punt 78 yards for touchdown, at the time the second-longest punt return in school history, as the Wildcats shut out Maryland, 14-0.
• 1973: Sonny Collins rushed for 176 yards, his seventh career 100-yard rushing game, in the Wildcats’ 34-7 upset win over No. 14 Tulane.
• 1979: Pete Venable had a career-high 104 rushing yards, including an 82-yard rushing touchdown, at the time tied for the sixth longest running play in school history, as Kentucky defeated Bowling Green, 20-14. The offense had another career high rushing performance by Chris Jones, running for 134 yards. The special teams contributed as well, with Larry Carter’s 60-yard punt return for a touchdown, at the time the 14th-longest punt return in school history.
• 1984: George Adams rushed for 144 yards, his ninth career 100-yard rushing game, in the Wildcats’ 31-7 victory over North Texas.
• 2001: Jared Lorenzen passed for 320 yards, his 10th career 300-yard passing game, as Kentucky lost to Mississippi State, 17-14. The offense was also led by Derek Abney’s career high 12 receptions and 123 receiving yards.
Nov. 4
• 1939: Kentucky traveled to Birmingham and battled No. 19 Alabama to a 7-7 tie in the Wildcats’ first ever game played as a team ranked in the Associated Press Poll. Kentucky was ranked No. 15 heading into that game.
• 1950: No. 5 Kentucky put a beat down on the No. 17 Florida Gators, 40-6, in Kentucky’s largest win ever against a ranked opponent.
• 1961: Kentucky did their damage on special teams, setting a then-school record with 148 punt return yards, in the Wildcats’ shutout win against Florida State, 20-0. Darrell Cox contributed to that total with an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown, at the time the second-longest punt return in school history.
• 1978: Larry Carter returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown, tied for the second-longest punt return in school history, as Kentucky shut out Virginia Tech, 28-0.
• 2000: The Wildcats offense was led by Derek Smith’s 102 receiving yards, his second career 100-yard receiving game, and Chad Scott’s 119 rushing yards, his second career 100-yard rushing game, in Kentucky’s 35-17 loss against Mississippi State.
• 2006: For the second time ever, the goalposts came down at Commonwealth Stadium as fans rushed the field after Kentucky’s 24-20 thrilling victory over the defending SEC East champions, Georgia. This was Kentucky’s first victory over the Bulldogs since 1996.
Nov. 5
• 1966: Dicky Lyons, Sr. connected with Dan Spanish on a 75-yard pass, at the time tied for the third longest passing play in school history, as the Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt, 14-10. As a result of that play Dan Spanish had a career high 108 receiving yards.
• 1977: Quarterback Derrick Ramsey rushed for 111 yards, his third and final career 100-yard rushing game, in Kentucky’s 28-6 win over Vanderbilt.
• 1983: George Adams rushed for 135 yards, his fourth career 100-yard rushing game, as the Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt, 17-8.
• 2005: Sophomore quarterback Andre’ Woodson passed for 335 yards, his first career 300-yard passing game, as the Wildcats lost to Auburn, 49-27. The offense was also led by Keenan Burton’s 100 receiving yards, his first 100-yard receiving game. But the offensive star of the game was running back Rafael Little as he became the second player in school history to have at least 100 receiving yards (122) and at least 100 rushing yards (124) in the same game.
• 2011: The Wildcats had a trio of great offensive players in their 30-13 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels. Kentucky had a pair of 100-yard receivers, Matt Roark (116) and La’Rod King (102), and a 100-yard rusher, CoShik Williams (111).
Nov. 6
• 1954: Howard Schnellenberger, who later went on to become the head coach for intrastate rival Louisville, had a career-high 114 receiving yards in the Wildcats’ 19-7 victory over Vanderbilt.
• 1965: Running back Rodger Bird became the first player in school history to rush for four touchdowns in a single game as the Wildcats shut out Vanderbilt, 34-0. Rodger ended up rushing for 133 yards, his sixth and final career 100-yard rushing game.
• 1971: The Wildcats won in one of the most dramatic finishes in the school’s history in their 14-7 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores. With the scored tied at 7 and Vanderbilt on its own 26-yard line, Commodore quarterback Steve Burger elected to throw a pass on the game’s final play as time expired. The pass was intended for wide receiver Gary Chelsey, but Kentucky cornerback Darryl Bishop intercepted the pass and raced 43 yards into the endzone for a touchdown on the final play of the game to seal the victory for the Wildcats.
• 1976: Quarterback Derrick Ramsey rushed for 118 yards, his second career 100-yard rushing game, in the Wildcats’ 14-0 shutout win over Vanderbilt.
• 1982: Defensive lineman Dave Lyons wreaked havoc in Vanderbilt’s backfield, setting a then-school record with four quarterback sacks, in Kentucky’s 23-10 loss to the Commodores. The offense was led by George Adams’ 135 rushing yards, his second career 100-yard rushing game.
• 2004: Freshman running back Rafael Little had 106 receiving yards, his first career 100-yard receiving game, as the Wildcats lost to Georgia, 62-17.
• 2010: Randall Cobb had 101 receiving yards, his third career 100-yard receiving game, and Donald Russell had a career high 110 rushing yards in Kentucky’s 49-21 victory against Charleston Southern.
Nov. 7
• 1953: Kentucky relied heavily on their ground game in its convincing 40-14 victory over Vanderbilt, rushing for 409 yards, the fourth most in school history.
• 1981: Andy Molls set a school record with 195 punt return yards as Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt, 17-10. Andy’s 32.5 yards per punt return also, at the time, set a school record for best average yardage per punt return (minimum of three punt returns). Andy had two magnificent punt returns, one of 87 yards, the fourth longest in school history, and one of 67 yards. The offense was led by Lawrence Lee’s career-high 105 rushing yards.
• 1987: Linebacker Chris Chenault was all over the field on defense for the Wildcats, setting a then-school record with 28 total tackles in Kentucky’s 38-29 loss to Vanderbilt. The offense was led by Mark Higgs’ 133 rushing yards, his eighth career 100-yard rushing game.
• 1998: Kentucky was aided by the Mississippi State defense, setting a school record with seven first downs by penalty, as the Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs, 37-35. The offense was led by Tim Couch’s 338 passing yards, his 18th career 300-yard passing game, Kevin Coleman’s 106 receiving yards, and Derek Homer’s 130 rushing yards.
• 2009: Donald Russell had a 79-yard rushing touchdown, at the time the 12th-longest running play in school history, as the Wildcats soundly defeated intrastate foe Eastern Kentucky, 37-12.
