# 2022 Kentucky Wildcats football team

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.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Miami (OH)* | No. 20 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | SECN+/ESPN+ | W 37–13 | 61,139 |
| September 10 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 12 Florida | No. 20 | Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, FL (rivalry) | ESPN | W 26–16 | 89,993 |
| September 17 | 12:00 p.m. | Youngstown State* | No. 9 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | SECN | W 31–0 | 59,308 |
| September 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois* | No. 8 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | ESPN2 | W 31–23 | 61,579 |
| October 1 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 14 Ole Miss | No. 7 | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS (SEC Nation) | ESPN | L 19–22 | 64,828 |
| October 8 | 7:30 p.m. | South Carolina | No. 13 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | SECN | L 14–24 | 61,612 |
| October 15 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 16 Mississippi State | No. 22 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | SECN | W 27–17 | 61,451 |
| October 29 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 3 Tennessee | No. 19 | Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN (rivalry) | ESPN | L 6–44 | 101,915 |
| November 5 | 12:00 p.m. | at Missouri | | Faurot FieldColumbia, MO | SECN | W 21–17 | 61,047 |
| November 12 | 12:00 p.m. | Vanderbilt | No. 24 | Kroger FieldLexington, KY (rivalry) | SECN | L 21–24 | 57,474 |
| November 19 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 1 Georgia | | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | CBS | L 6–16 | 61,022 |
| November 26 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 25 Louisville* | | Kroger FieldLexington, KY (Governor's Cup) | SECN | W 26–13 | 58,727 |
| December 31 | 12:00 p.m. | vs. Iowa* | | Nissan StadiumNashville, TN (Music City Bowl) | ABC | L 0–21 | 42,312 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after November 1) - Released prior to gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Years at Kentucky |
| 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 Settle | Running backs coach | 2nd |
| Mike Stoops | Inside linebackers coach | 1st |
| Frank Buffano | Safeties coach | 3rd |
| Chris Collins | Defensive backs coach | 2nd |
| Zach Yenser | Offensive line coach | 1st |
| Scott Woodward | Wide receivers coach | 2nd |
| Anwar Stewart | Defensive line coach | 3rd |
| Mark Hill | Strength and conditioning | 7th |
| Reference: |||

## Game summaries
### Miami (OH)

Uniform Combination :
| Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Miami (OH) | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| • No. 20 Kentucky | 7 | 6 | 17 | 7 | 37 |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Miami (OH) | Passing | Brett Gabbert | 20/28, 166 yards |
| Miami (OH) | Rushing | Tyre Shelton | 7 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD |
| Miami (OH) | Receiving | Mac Hippenhammer | 7 receptions, 85 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 21/32, 303 yards, 3 TD’s, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Kavosiey Smoke | 7 carries, 32 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Tayvion Robinson | 6 receptions, 136 yards |

### At No. 12 Florida

Uniform Combination :
| Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 20 Kentucky | 0 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 26 |
| No. 12 Florida | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Statistics | Kentucky | Florida |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 13/24, 202 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Kavosiey Smoke | 14 carries, 80 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Dane Key | 3 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD |
| Florida | Passing | Anthony Richardson | 14/35, 143 yards, 2 INT’s |
| Florida | Rushing | Montrell Johnson Jr. | 7 carries, 62 yards |
| Florida | Receiving | Xzavier Henderson | 6 receptions, 50 yards |

### Youngstown State

Uniform Combination :
| Helmet | Jersey | Pants |
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Youngstown St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • No. 9 Kentucky | 0 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Statistics | Youngstown St | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Youngstown St | Passing | Demeatric Crenshaw | 7/21, 120 yards, 1 INT |
| Youngstown St | Rushing | Jaleel McLaughlin | 10 carries, 36 yards |
| Youngstown St | Receiving | Jaleel McLaughlin | 3 receptions, 60 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 27/35, 377 yards, 2 TD’s, 2 INT’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Kavosiey Smoke | 18 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Dane Key | 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD |

### Northern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| NIU | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 23 |
| • No. 8 Kentucky | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
| Statistics | NIU | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| NIU | Passing | Ethan Hampton | 13/25, 196 yards, 1 TD |
| NIU | Rushing | Harrison Waylee | 18 carries, 63 yards |
| NIU | Receiving | Kacper Rutkiewicz | 1 reception, 63 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 18/26, 303 yards, 4 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Kavosiey Smoke | 12 carries, 85 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Tayvion Robinson | 7 receptions, 147 yards, 2 TD’s |

### At No. 14 Ole Miss

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 7 Kentucky | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
| • No. 14 Ole Miss | 14 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 22 |
| Statistics | Kentucky | Ole 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 | Statistics |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 18/24, 220 yards, 2 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 19 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Barion Brown | 2 receptions, 81 yards |
| Ole Miss | Passing | Jaxson Dart | 15/29, 213 yards, 1 INT |
| Ole Miss | Rushing | Quinshon Judkins | 14 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD |
| Ole Miss | Receiving | Malik Heath | 6 receptions, 100 yards |

### South Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • South Carolina | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
| No. 13 Kentucky | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Statistics | South Carolina | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| South Carolina | Passing | Spencer Rattler | 14/19, 177 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| South Carolina | Rushing | MarShawn Lloyd | 22 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD |
| South Carolina | Receiving | Antwane Wells Jr. | 3 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Passing | Kaiya Sheron | 15/27, 178 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 22 carries, 126 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Chauncey Magwood | 2 receptions, 37 yards |

### No. 16 Mississippi State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 16 Miss State | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| • No. 22т Kentucky | 0 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 27 |
| Statistics | Miss State | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Miss State | Passing | Will Rogers | 25/37, 203 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Miss State | Rushing | Dillon Johnson | 2 carries, 16 yards |
| Miss State | Receiving | Jo'Quavious Marks | 7 receptions, 60 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 17/23, 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 30 carries, 196 yards, 2 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Barion Brown | 7 receptions, 62 yards |

### At No. 3 Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 19 Kentucky | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • No. 3 Tennessee | 7 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 44 |
| Statistics | Kentucky | Tennessee |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 16/27, 98 yards, 3 INT’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 15 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Jordan Dingle | 4 receptions, 44 yards |
| Tennessee | Passing | Hendon Hooker | 19/25, 245 yards, 3 TD’s |
| Tennessee | Rushing | Jabari Small | 21 carries, 78 yards |
| Tennessee | Receiving | Jalin Hyatt | 5 receptions, 138 yards, 2 TD’s |

### At Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Kentucky | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Missouri | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Statistics | Kentucky | Missouri |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 13/19, 170 yards, 3 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 29 carries, 112 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Barion Brown | 4 receptions, 54 yards |
| Missouri | Passing | Brady Cook | 18/26, 143 yards |
| Missouri | Rushing | Cody Schrader | 21 carries, 65 yards |
| Missouri | Receiving | Luther Burden III | 6 receptions, 60 yards |

### Vanderbilt

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Vanderbilt | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| No. 24 Kentucky | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 21 |
| Statistics | Vanderbilt | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 12/23, 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 26 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 5 receptions, 88 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 11/23, 109 yards, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 18 carries, 162 yards, 2 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Tayvion Robinson | 5 receptions, 49 yards |

### No. 1 Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 1 Georgia | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Statistics | Georgia | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Georgia | Passing | Stetson Bennett | 13/19, 116 yards, 1 INT |
| Georgia | Rushing | Kenny McIntosh | 19 carries, 143 yards, 1 TD |
| Georgia | Receiving | Dominick Blaylock | 2 receptions, 38 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 20/31, 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 17 carries, 51 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Barion Brown | 10 receptions, 145 yards, 1 TD |

### No. 25 Louisville

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 25 Louisville | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| • Kentucky | 7 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 26 |
| Statistics | Louisville | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Louisville | Passing | Brock Domann | 14/21, 129 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Louisville | Rushing | Jawhar Jordan | 22 carries, 145 yards |
| Louisville | Receiving | Tyler Hudson | 6 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 11/19, 188 yards, 2 TD’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 24 carries, 120 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Josh Kattus | 2 receptions, 76 yards |

### Vs. Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Iowa | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statistics | Iowa | Kentucky |
| 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 | Statistics |
| Iowa | Passing | Joe Labas | 14/24, 139 yards, 1 TD |
| Iowa | Rushing | Jaziun Patterson | 4 carries, 23 yards |
| Iowa | Receiving | Sam LaPorta | 5 receptions, 56 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | Destin Wade | 16/30, 98 yards, 2 INT’s |
| Kentucky | Rushing | JuTahn McClain | 10 carries, 40 yards |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Dane Key | 6 receptions, 47 yards |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | 20 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 22T | 19 | 19 | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coaches | 21 | 20 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 24 | 24 | RV | — | — | — | — |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | Not released |