The 2014 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats competed as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as part of its Eastern Division. The team was led by head coach Mark Stoops, in his second year, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. The team started 5-1, but lost their final six games and finished the season 5–7, 2–6 in SEC play, and sixth place in the Eastern Division.
Pre-season
Schedule changes for 2014
Three of UK's annual opponents – Louisville, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt – will be played at different points in the schedule beginning in 2014. As requested by the SEC and the ACC, the Kentucky vs. Louisville game will be moved to the final game of the regular season on an annual basis. The leagues moved the game as a result of adjustments in scheduling brought on by the conference expansions undertaken in both the SEC and ACC. The switch of the Kentucky-Louisville game date means that there will be four SEC vs. ACC in-state rivalry matchups on the final weekend of the season. The Florida-Florida State, Georgia-Georgia Tech and South Carolina-Clemson tilts also are on that weekend. The UK vs. UofL game had been played early in the schedule since the series was renewed in 1994. For Kentucky, moving the game to the end of the regular season also will require another adjustment. Tennessee has been scheduled as the Wildcats' final foe since 1953 and the Volunteers will now move to November 15, 2014, meaning that UK will close the regular season with a pair of rivalry games. One other significant timing change comes with the Vanderbilt game. Having played VU in November every season since 1953, the Wildcats hosted the Commodores on September 27, 2014.
Commonwealth Stadium renovations
Construction has begun on the $120 million renovation of Commonwealth Stadium, a project that features a new look for the exterior of the stadium, wider and redesigned concourses, new concession stands and rest rooms, new suites and other premium seating, a recruiting room and a new press box. It is a two-year project but there should be minimal disruption for the 2014 season. Part of the southside upper deck has been removed in order to begin the new suite/press box complex and there will be some utility and other site preparation work done this year. Seating capacity for the stadium will be 62,093 for the 2014 campaign. The majority of the construction will begin immediately after the last home game on Nov. 8. The reworked stadium is expected to be complete in time for the 2015 season. Meanwhile, UK also has begun planning for a $45 million football office/practice complex that will be built on the south end of the existing Nutter Field House. Construction of that facility is expected to commence following the season, with completion targeted for 2016.
2014 signing class
2015 commitments
Personnel
Roster and staff
Depth chart
As of 9/1 for UT-Martin game
Schedule
Schedule Source:
Game summaries
Tennessee-Martin
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Braylon Heard's first-half touchdown runs of 73 and 43 yards spurred Kentucky to a season-opening, 59–14 rout of Tennessee–Martin on Saturday.
Quarterback Patrick Towles added a TD passing and running in his first career start for Kentucky, which outgained the Skyhawks 656–398. The Wildcats' sophomore threw for 370 yards, but Kentucky's tailbacks set the tone by flying through huge holes and scoring virtually untouched.
The Wildcats' improved grasp of the Air Raid offense was supposed to be displayed through the air behind Towles, who won a three-man competition for the starting job. He definitely did his part in completing 20 of 29 attempts without an interception, but the backfield rushed for 234 yards and ended up showing the scheme's big-play potential.
Heard demonstrated that on both TDs, blazing through big holes on consecutive drives to put Kentucky up 21–0 and keep the air raid sirens blaring.
Towles wasn't fazed about his tailbacks stealing the spotlight because of how well he managed the offense. The Kentucky native made good reads, avoided sacks by getting rid of the ball quickly and most importantly, showed that he could quickly hit short and long throws.
In between completions that moved the ball downfield, Towles hit several long ones to set up Kentucky scores. The first, a 44-yarder down the middle to Javess Blue, resulted in Kemp's 2-yard touchdown run soon after.