The 2002 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by second-year head coach Guy Morriss and played home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. The Wildcats scored 385 points while allowing 301 points.

Though finishing with a 7–5 record, the Wildcats were not bowl eligible due to NCAA sanctions resulting from the tenure of former head coach Hal Mumme.

Kentucky opened with a 22–17 win at no. 17 Louisville, a nationally broadcast upset at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in which Kentucky reclaimed the Governor's Cup. A 77–17 win over UTEP followed (the second-largest point total in school history at the time), and wins against Indiana and Middle Tennessee State put Kentucky at 4–0. A 41–34 loss at no. 7 Florida was followed by a 16–12 loss to South Carolina that came down to the final play. A 29–17 win at Arkansas followed. A 52–24 loss to no. 5 Georgia was followed by a 45–24 win at Mississippi State. A 33–30 loss to no. 16 LSU on the game's final play was followed by a 41–21 win against Vanderbilt and a 24–0 loss at Tennessee.AP Poll Archive

Morriss resigned following the season to accept the head coaching position at Baylor.

Schedule AP Poll Archive

Game summaries At No. 17 Louisville

Statistics UKLOU First downs 14 16 Total yards 273 248 Rushing yards 78 55 Passing yards 195 193 Passing: comp–att–int 13–27–0 14–39–1 Turnovers 0 3 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 13/27, 195 yards, TD Rushing Artose Pinner 28 rushes, 87 yards, TD Receiving Ernest Simms 2 receptions, 69 yards, TDLouisville Passing Dave Ragone 14/39, 193 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dave Ragone 13 rushes, 47 yards Receiving Damien Dorsey 3 receptions, 91 yards

UTEP

Statistics UTEPUK First downs 19 27 Total yards 371 591 Rushing yards 220 364 Passing yards 151 227 Passing: comp–att–int 12–26–0 12–19–0 Turnovers 2 1 Team Category Player StatisticsUTEP Passing Jon Schaper 10/24, 118 yards, TD Rushing Matt Austin 14 rushes, 112 yards Receiving Terrance Minor 3 receptions, 69 yards, TDKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 10/17, 211 yards, 5 TD Rushing Artose Pinner 16 rushes, 116 yards, TD Receiving Derek Abney 3 receptions, 80 yards, TD

Indiana

Statistics IUUK First downs 21 17 Total yards 394 327 Rushing yards 160 144 Passing yards 234 183 Passing: comp–att–int 13–38–2 19–32–1 Turnovers 3 1 Team Category Player StatisticsIndiana Passing Gibran Hamdan 13/38, 234 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Yamar Washington 32 rushes, 163 yards Receiving Courtney Roby 5 receptions, 101 yardsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 19/32, 183 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Artose Pinner 25 rushes, 141 yards Receiving Artose Pinner 10 receptions, 92 yards, TD

Middle Tennessee

Statistics MTSUUK First downs 18 26 Total yards 422 510 Rushing yards 220 205 Passing yards 202 305 Passing: comp–att–int 10–19–0 22–31–1 Turnovers 2 1 Team Category Player StatisticsMiddle Tennessee Passing Andrico Hines 10/19, 202 yards, TD Rushing Dwone Hicks 16 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD Receiving David Youell 5 receptions, 83 yardsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 22/31, 305 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Artose Pinner 24 rushes, 163 yards, 3 TD Receiving Aaron Boone 6 receptions, 111 yards, TD

At No. 7 Florida

Statistics UKFLA First downs 14 30 Total yards 268 509 Rushing yards 88 134 Passing yards 180 375 Passing: comp–att–int 20–32–1 28–43–0 Turnovers 2 1 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 20/32, 180 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Artose Pinner 20 rushes, 90 yards, TD Receiving Aaron Boone 2 receptions, 40 yardsFlorida Passing Rex Grossman 28/43, 375 yards, 2 TD Rushing Earnest Graham 32 rushes, 102 yards, TD Receiving Taylor Jacobs 12 receptions, 183 yards, 2 TD

South Carolina

Statistics SCARUK First downs 14 17 Total yards 350 327 Rushing yards 138 118 Passing yards 212 209 Passing: comp–att–int 10–18–1 23–39–1 Turnovers 1 3 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Corey Jenkins 7/15, 199 yards, INT Rushing Andrew Pinnock 8 rushes, 61 yards Receiving Troy Williamson 3 receptions, 101 yardsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 22/36, 194 yards, TD Rushing Artose Pinner 25 rushes, 117 yards Receiving Aaron Boone 4 receptions, 72 yards

At Arkansas

Statistics UKARK First downs 18 26 Total yards 332 515 Rushing yards 79 293 Passing yards 253 222 Passing: comp–att–int 19–31–0 17–30–1 Turnovers 2 2 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 19/31, 253 yards, 2 TD Rushing Artose Pinner 26 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Aaron Boone 7 receptions, 102 yards, TDArkansas Passing Matt Jones 15/25, 210 yards, INT Rushing Fred Talley 24 rushes, 182 yards Receiving George Wilson 6 receptions, 82 yards

No. 5 Georgia

Statistics UGAUK First downs 33 19 Total yards 529 372 Rushing yards 172 130 Passing yards 357 242 Passing: comp–att–int 27–47–1 15–31–0 Turnovers 1 0 Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Passing David Greene 16/32, 251 yards, 4 TD Rushing Tony Milton 18 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Terrence Edwards 5 receptions, 127 yards, 3 TDKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 13/27, 208 yards, 2 TD Rushing Artose Pinner 19 rushes, 111 yards, TD Receiving Derek Abney 4 receptions, 99 yards, TD

At Mississippi State

Statistics UKMSST First downs 14 17 Total yards 266 392 Rushing yards 105 230 Passing yards 161 162 Passing: comp–att–int 12–26–0 9–34–4 Turnovers 0 5 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 10/22, 141 yards, TD Rushing Artose Pinner 31 rushes, 104 yards, TD Receiving Tommy Cook 2 receptions, 48 yardsMississippi State Passing Kevin Fant 9/30, 162 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Jerious Norwood 15 rushes, 138 yards Receiving Terrell Grindle 3 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD

No. 16 LSU

Statistics LSUUK First downs 18 21 Total yards 477 375 Rushing yards 213 154 Passing yards 264 221 Passing: comp–att–int 10–23–0 14–29–0 Turnovers 0 2 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Marcus Randall 10/23, 264 yards, 3 TD Rushing Joseph Addai 9 rushes, 91 yards, TD Receiving Devery Henderson 5 receptions, 201 yards, 3 TDKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 12/26, 210 yards, 4 TD Rushing Artose Pinner 27 rushes, 143 yards Receiving Aaron Boone 3 receptions, 112 yards, 3 TD

Vanderbilt

Statistics VANUK First downs 16 18 Total yards 278 356 Rushing yards 102 228 Passing yards 176 128 Passing: comp–att–int 11–26–0 14–23–2 Turnovers 2 2 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Jay Cutler 11/26, 176 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kwane Doster 22 rushes, 111 yards Receiving Dan Stricker 6 receptions, 96 yards, TDKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 14/23, 128 yards, 2 INT Rushing Artose Pinner 31 rushes, 224 yards, 4 TD Receiving Derek Abney 4 receptions, 31 yards

At Tennessee

Statistics UKTENN First downs 11 21 Total yards 172 330 Rushing yards 89 155 Passing yards 83 175 Passing: comp–att–int 12–30–0 13–26–0 Turnovers 1 0 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jared Lorenzen 9/23, 59 yards Rushing Artose Pinner 11 rushes, 51 yards Receiving Aaron Boone 5 receptions, 45 yardsTennessee Passing Casey Clausen 13/26, 175 yards, 2 TD Rushing Derrick Tinsley 8 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Derrick Tinsley 4 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TD

Roster

Team players in the 2003 NFL draft

Dewayne RobertsonDefensive tackle 1 4 New York Jets Artose PinnerRunning back 4 99 Detroit Lions

References