The 2022 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by tenth-year head coach Mark Stoops.
On August 2, 2024, the NCAA announced that the University of Kentucky has agreed to accept penalties for violations of impermissible benefits as 11 football players were paid for jobs which they did not perform in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Although the NCAA has not announced the full penalties, it has been indicated by the university that those penalties will include a 2–year probation and vacation of all games in which the ineligible players participated for those two seasons.
Schedule Kentucky and the SEC announced the 2022 football schedule on September 21, 2021.
Coaching staff Mark Stoops Head coach 10th Vince Marrow Associate head coach/tight ends coach 10th Rich Scangarello Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach 1st Brad White Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach 5th John SettleRunning backs coach 2nd Mike Stoops Inside linebackers coach1st Frank Buffano Safeties coach 3rd Chris Collins Defensive backs coach 2nd Zach Yenser Offensive line coach 1st Scott Woodward Wide receivers coach2nd Anwar Stewart Defensive line coach 3rd Mark Hill Strength and conditioning 7thReference:
Game summaries
Miami (OH)
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Statistics Miami (OH)Kentucky First downs 17 20 Total yards 290 353 Rushing yards 111 50 Passing yards 179 303 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 31:53 28:07 Team Category Player StatisticsMiami (OH) Passing Brett Gabbert 20/28, 166 yards Rushing Tyre Shelton 7 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD Receiving Mac Hippenhammer 7 receptions, 85 yardsKentucky Passing Will Levis 21/32, 303 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Kavosiey Smoke 7 carries, 32 yards Receiving Tayvion Robinson 6 receptions, 136 yards
At No. 12 Florida
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Statistics KentuckyFlorida First downs 17 12 Total yards 272 279 Rushing yards 70 136 Passing yards 202 143 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 33:24 26:36 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Will Levis 13/24, 202 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kavosiey Smoke 14 carries, 80 yards Receiving Dane Key 3 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TDFlorida Passing Anthony Richardson 14/35, 143 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 7 carries, 62 yards Receiving Xzavier Henderson 6 receptions, 50 yards
Youngstown State
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Statistics Youngstown StKentucky First downs 9 26 Total yards 192 480 Rushing yards 58 103 Passing yards 134 377 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 21:50 38:10 Team Category Player StatisticsYoungstown St Passing Demeatric Crenshaw 7/21, 120 yards, 1 INT Rushing Jaleel McLaughlin 10 carries, 36 yards Receiving Jaleel McLaughlin 3 receptions, 60 yardsKentucky Passing Will Levis 27/35, 377 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Kavosiey Smoke 18 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dane Key 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
Northern Illinois
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Statistics NIUKentucky First downs 14 18 Total yards 327 406 Rushing yards 128 103 Passing yards 199 303 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 26:17 33:43 Team Category Player StatisticsNIU Passing Ethan Hampton 13/25, 196 yards, 1 TD Rushing Harrison Waylee 18 carries, 63 yards Receiving Kacper Rutkiewicz 1 reception, 63 yardsKentucky Passing Will Levis 18/26, 303 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Kavosiey Smoke 12 carries, 85 yards Receiving Tayvion Robinson 7 receptions, 147 yards, 2 TDs
At No. 14 Ole Miss
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Statistics KentuckyOle Miss First downs 17 19 Total yards 328 399 Rushing yards 108 186 Passing yards 220 213 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 36:53 23:07 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Will Levis 18/24, 220 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 19 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD Receiving Barion Brown 2 receptions, 81 yardsOle Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 15/29, 213 yards, 1 INT Rushing Quinshon Judkins 14 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD Receiving Malik Heath 6 receptions, 100 yards
South Carolina
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Statistics South CarolinaKentucky First downs 15 18 Total yards 356 299 Rushing yards 179 121 Passing yards 177 178 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 28:55 31:05 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 14/19, 177 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing MarShawn Lloyd 22 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD Receiving Antwane Wells Jr. 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TDKentucky Passing Kaiya Sheron 15/27, 178 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 22 carries, 126 yards Receiving Chauncey Magwood 2 receptions, 37 yards
No. 16 Mississippi State
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Statistics Miss StateKentucky First downs 13 24 Total yards 225 478 Rushing yards 22 239 Passing yards 203 239 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 20:38 39:22 Team Category Player StatisticsMiss State Passing Will Rogers 25/37, 203 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Dillon Johnson 2 carries, 16 yards Receiving Jo'Quavious Marks 7 receptions, 60 yardsKentucky Passing Will Levis 17/23, 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 30 carries, 196 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Barion Brown 7 receptions, 62 yards
At No. 3 Tennessee
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Statistics KentuckyTennessee First downs 14 19 Total yards 205 422 Rushing yards 107 177 Passing yards 98 245 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 35:11 24:49 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Will Levis 16/27, 98 yards, 3 INTs Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 15 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jordan Dingle 4 receptions, 44 yardsTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 19/25, 245 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Jabari Small 21 carries, 78 yards Receiving Jalin Hyatt 5 receptions, 138 yards, 2 TDs
At Missouri
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Statistics KentuckyMissouri First downs 15 12 Total yards 252 232 Rushing yards 82 89 Passing yards 170 143 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 31:05 28:55 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Will Levis 13/19, 170 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 29 carries, 112 yards Receiving Barion Brown 4 receptions, 54 yardsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 18/26, 143 yards Rushing Cody Schrader 21 carries, 65 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 6 receptions, 60 yards
Vanderbilt
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Statistics VanderbiltKentucky First downs 18 16 Total yards 448 322 Rushing yards 264 213 Passing yards 184 109 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 33:15 26:45 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Mike Wright 12/23, 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Ray Davis 26 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD Receiving Will Sheppard 5 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD Kentucky Passing Will Levis 11/23, 109 yards, 1 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 18 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Tayvion Robinson 5 receptions, 49 yards
No. 1 Georgia
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Statistics GeorgiaKentucky First downs 20 17 Total yards 363 295 Rushing yards 247 89 Passing yards 116 206 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 30:02 29:58 Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Passing Stetson Bennett 13/19, 116 yards, 1 INT Rushing Kenny McIntosh 19 carries, 143 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dominick Blaylock 2 receptions, 38 yardsKentucky Passing Will Levis 20/31, 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 17 carries, 51 yards Receiving Barion Brown 10 receptions, 145 yards, 1 TD
No. 25 Louisville
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Statistics LouisvilleKentucky First downs 19 17 Total yards 309 346 Rushing yards 164 158 Passing yards 145 188 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 27:15 32:45 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisville Passing Brock Domann 14/21, 129 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jawhar Jordan 22 carries, 145 yards Receiving Tyler Hudson 6 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TDKentucky Passing Will Levis 11/19, 188 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 24 carries, 120 yards Receiving Josh Kattus 2 receptions, 76 yards
Vs. Iowa
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Statistics IowaKentucky First downs 10 10 Total yards 206 185 Rushing yards 67 68 Passing yards 139 117 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 25:43 34:17 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Joe Labas 14/24, 139 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jaziun Patterson 4 carries, 23 yards Receiving Sam LaPorta 5 receptions, 56 yardsKentucky Passing Destin Wade 16/30, 98 yards, 2 INTs Rushing JuTahn McClain 10 carries, 40 yards Receiving Dane Key 6 receptions, 47 yards
Rankings
References