The 1983 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Jerry Claiborne, the Wildcats scored 228 points while allowing 237 points.[1]
| 1983 Kentucky Wildcats football | |
|---|---|
Hall of Fame Classic Bowl, L 20–16 vs. West Virginia | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Record | 6–5–1 (2–4 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Commonwealth Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Auburn $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Georgia | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Florida | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Alabama | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ole Miss | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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After a 4–0 start, Kentucky finished the regular season 6–4–1 before playing in the 1983 Hall of Fame Classic and losing to No 18 West Virginia, 20–16. The improvement from 1982's 0–10–1 mark was, at the time, an NCAA record for most improvement in wins from one season to the next.
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | Central Michigan* | W 31–14 | 51,232 | [2] | |
| September 10 | Kansas State* |
| W 31–12 | 56,123 | [3] |
| September 17 | Indiana* |
| W 24–13 | 56,825 | [4] |
| September 24 | Tulane* |
| W 26–14 | 57,424 | [5] |
| October 8 | No. 7 Auburn |
| L 21–49 | 57,989 | [6] |
| October 15 | LSU | W 21–13 | 77,765 | [7] | |
| October 22 | at No. 7 Georgia | L 21–47 | 82,122 | [8] | |
| October 29 | Cincinnati* |
| T 13–13 | 57,789 | [9] |
| November 5 | at Vanderbilt | W 17–8 | 41,000 | [10] | |
| November 12 | at No. 14 Florida | L 7–24 | 73,192 | [11] | |
| November 19 | Tennessee |
| L 0–10 | 57,985 | [12] |
| December 22 | vs. No. 18 West Virginia* | L 20–16 | 42,000 | [13] | |
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Team players in the 1984 NFL Draft
edit| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
| John Grimsley | Linebacker | 6 | 141 | Houston Oilers |
References
edit- ^ "1983 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ "Kentucky's fast finish flattens Central, 31–14". Lansing State Journal. September 4, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wildcats fall to Kentucky". The Salina Journal. September 11, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UK hands IU first loss". Sunday Herald-Times. September 18, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wildcats top Tulane 26–14". The Advocate-Messenger. September 25, 1983. Retrieved October 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "No. 7 Auburn runs over outmanned UK". The Park City Daily News. October 9, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jenkins' tosses lead Kentucky past LSU". The Paducah Sun. October 16, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UK has its moment, but day is Georgia's". The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 23, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Adams provides a spark as UK ties Cincinnati". The Courier-Journal. October 30, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Kentucky defeats Vanderbilt, 17–8". The Park City Daily News. November 6, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gators bounce back, rip 'Cats". The Pensacola News-Journal. November 13, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UT Vols take 10–0 win". Kingsport Times-News. November 20, 1983. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hostetler finally gets warmed up". Birmingham Post-Herald. December 23, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
- ^ "1984 NFL Draft Listing | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on May 27, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
- ^ 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.166
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