1986 Kentucky Wildcats football team

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1986 Kentucky Wildcats football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record5–5–1 (2–4 SEC)
Head coach
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 LSU $ 5 1 0 9 3 0
No. 6 Auburn 4 2 0 10 2 0
No. 9 Alabama 4 2 0 10 3 0
Georgia 4 2 0 8 4 0
Ole Miss 4 2 0 8 3 1
Tennessee 3 3 0 7 5 0
Mississippi State 2 4 0 6 5 0
Kentucky 2 4 0 5 5 1
Florida 2 4 0 6 5 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth season under head coach Jerry Claiborne, the Wildcats compiled a 5–5–1 record (2–4 against SEC opponents), finished in a tie for seventh place in the SEC, and outscored their opponents, 228 to 206.[1][2] The team played its home games in Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

The team's statistical leaders included Bill Ransdell with 1,610 passing yards, Ivy Joe Hunter with 621 rushing yards, and Cornell Burbage with 331 receiving yards.[3] This season was the last time Kentucky defeated Florida until 2018 and the last win over Florida at home until 2021.[4]

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 13Rutgers*T 16–1657,424[5]
September 20Kent State*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 37–1254,865[6]
September 27at Cincinnati*W 37–2036,233[7]
October 4Southern Miss*
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 32–058,102[8]
October 11at Ole MissL 13–3328,000[9]
October 18 No. 12 LSU
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
L 16–2557,201[10]
October 25Georgia
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
L 9–3156,820[11]
November 1at Virginia Tech*L 15–1730,300[12]
November 8Vanderbilt
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
W 34–2248,230[13]
November 15Florida
  • Commonwealth Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
W 10–352,160[14]
November 22at TennesseeL 9–2890,747[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

Roster[edit]

1986 Kentucky Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 12 Bill Allen So
WR 4 Cornell Burbage Sr
G 57 Dermontti Dawson Jr
WR 82 Greg Doll Jr
RB 22 Mark Higgs Jr
RB 32 Ivy Joe Hunter So
WR 21 Jimmie O'Neal Jr
QB 9 Bill Ransdell Sr
QB 13 Tim Smith Jr
G 64 Joe David Turner Jr
TE 80 Mark Wheeler Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
S 37 Todd Allgeier Jr
DT 79 Oliver Barnett Fr
LB 58 Mike Cahill Jr
DT 70 Tom Howard Jr
CB 24 D. J. Johnson So
DB 3 Tony Mayes Sr
DT 54 Jerry Reese Jr
DT 91 John Shannon Jr
LB 40 Larry Smith Sr
LB 39 Don Yarano Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 1 Jeff Nelson So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1986 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  2. ^ "Kentucky Football Media Guide". University of Kentucky. 2015. p. 184. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  3. ^ "1986 Kentucky Wildcats Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  4. ^ Hale, Jon (September 8, 2018). "Kentucky snaps 31-game losing streak to Florida". USA Today. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  5. ^ "Late Kentucky FG ties Rutgers, 16–16". Daily Record. September 14, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Kent has a big hand in Kentucky's victory". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 21, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Interceptions ruin UC, 37–20". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 28, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Wildcats blow out Southern Miss". Lexington Herald-Leader. October 5, 1986. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Rejuvenated Rebs smack down Kentucky". The Commercial Appeal. October 12, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "LSU survives Kentucky, 25–16". The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 19, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Georgia pounds Kentucky 31–9". Messenger-Inquirer. October 26, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Tech kicks 'Cats". The Danville Register. November 2, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "UK's Ivy Joe breaks out, rips Vandy for 238 yards". The Courier-Journal. November 9, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "'Cats put Gator Bowl plans in deep freeze". The Tennessean. November 16, 1986. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Vols earn Liberty bid, 28–9". Kingsport Times-News. November 23, 1986. Retrieved October 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.