1988 Kentucky Wildcats football team

1988 Kentucky Wildcats football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Head coach
Home stadiumCommonwealth Stadium
Seasons
← 1987
1989 →
1988 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 19 LSU + 6 1 0 8 4 0
No. 8 Auburn + 6 1 0 10 2 0
No. 15 Georgia 5 2 0 9 3 0
No. 17 Alabama 4 3 0 9 3 0
Florida 4 3 0 7 5 0
Tennessee 3 4 0 5 6 0
Ole Miss 3 4 0 5 6 0
Kentucky 2 5 0 5 6 0
Vanderbilt 2 5 0 3 8 0
Mississippi State 0 7 0 1 10 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1988 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Wildcats scored 217 points while allowing 208 points.[1][2] This was Jerry Claiborne's seventh season as Kentucky's head coach. The Wildcats finished 5–6, one victory shy of bowl eligibility; the highlight of the season was an upset of #11 ranked Georgia.

Kentucky opened with a win against Central Michigan, then lost at #7 Auburn and Indiana before beating Kent State. Losses to #12 Alabama and at #19 LSU followed. Next were wins against #11 Georgia, Southern Illinois and Vanderbilt, then losses to Florida and at Tennessee.[3]

The victory over Georgia was the season's high point. Running back Alfred Rawls, a Georgia native, had 128 yards and a touchdown rushing and linebacker Randy Holleran had 13 tackles; #11 Georgia was held to 224 yards of total offense.[4]

  1. ^ "1988 Kentucky Wildcats results". Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  2. ^ 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.209
  3. ^ 1997 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, p.168, 209
  4. ^ Story, Mark, UK football's greatest wins at Commonwealth, Lexington Herald-Leader, September 4, 2011