1965 Kentucky Wildcats football team

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1965 Kentucky Wildcats football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 18
Record6–4 (3–3 SEC)
Head coach
CaptainSam Ball, Rick Norton
Home stadiumMcLean Stadium
Seasons
← 1964
1966 →
1965 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Alabama $ 6 1 1 9 1 1
Auburn 4 1 1 5 5 1
Florida 4 2 0 7 4 0
No. 7 Tennessee 2 1 2 8 1 2
Ole Miss 5 3 0 7 4 0
No. 8 LSU 3 3 0 8 3 0
Kentucky 3 3 0 6 4 0
Georgia 2 3 0 6 4 0
Vanderbilt 1 5 0 2 7 1
Tulane 1 5 0 2 8 0
Mississippi State 1 5 0 4 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1965 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference during the 1965 NCAA University Division football season. The Wildcats scored 202 points while allowing 160 points, finishing 6–4 overall, 3–3 in the SEC.[1][2]

Rick Norton and Sam Ball were chosen as team captains.[2]

Kentucky opened with a 7–0 win at Missouri.[2] Missouri finished the season ranked #6 in the nation, with a record of 8–2–1.[3] Kentucky entered Week 2 of the season ranked #10 in the country.[4]

The second game was a 16–7 win against Ole Miss.[2] Kentucky advanced to a #6 ranking in the AP poll.[4]

A loss at Auburn (23–18) was followed by a 26–24 win against Florida State.[2] A 31–21 loss at LSU was followed by a 28–10 win over Georgia and a 28–8 victory over West Virginia. Kentucky then was ranked again in the AP poll, at #10.[4]

Next was a 34–0 win over Vanderbilt.[2] Kentucky retained its #10 ranking in the AP poll.[4]

At that point Kentucky was offered a bid to the Gator Bowl but turned it down, hoping for a better bowl invitation. However, star quarterback Rick Norton suffered a broken leg in the next game, which ended up being a 38–21 loss at Houston, and a 19–3 loss to Tennessee left the Wildcats with a 6–4 record and no bowl game.[2]

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 18at Missouri*W 7–044,550[5]
September 25Ole MissNo. 10W 16–738,000[6]
October 2at AuburnNo. 6L 18–2335,000[7]
October 9Florida State*
  • McLean Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 26–2437,500[8]
October 16at LSUL 21–3168,000[9]
October 23No. 10 Georgia
  • McLean Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 28–1037,300[10]
October 30West Virginia*dagger
  • McLean Stadium
  • Lexington, KY
W 28–837,500[11]
November 6at VanderbiltNo. 10W 34–026,663[12]
November 13at Houston*No. 10L 21–3837,248[13]
November 20Tennessee
  • McLean Stadium
  • Lexington, KY (rivalry)
L 3–1938,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Team players in the 1966 NFL and AFL Drafts[edit]

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Rick Norton Quarterback 1 2 Miami Dolphins
Rodger Bird Defensive back 1 10 Oakland Raiders
Sam Ball Tackle 1 15 Baltimore Colts
Sam Ball Tackle 2 14 New York Jets
Bob Windsor Tight end 2 26 San Francisco 49ers
Rick Norton Quarterback 2 29 Cleveland Browns
Rick Kestner Wide receiver 3 47 Baltimore Colts
Doug Davis Tackle 5 72 Minnesota Vikings
Rick Kestner Wide receiver 18 155 Miami Dolphins

[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1965 Kentucky Wildcats game by game results". Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 1997 Kentucky Football Media Guide, p.208
  3. ^ "Final 1965 AP poll at AP Poll Archive". Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d "AP Poll Archive". Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  5. ^ "Fumble ruins Tigers' bid". The Kansas City Star. September 19, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Kentucky's Norton rips Ole Miss, 16–7". The Miami Herald. September 26, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Auburn slams Kentucky". Longview News-Journal. October 3, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Kentucky in 26–24 edge". The Sunday Courier and Press. October 10, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vaunted LSU offense buries Kentucky 31–21". The Paducah Sun-Democrat. October 17, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Kentucky rebounds for 28–10 win over Georgia". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. October 24, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Wildcats defense West Virginia for 28–8 win". The Park City Daily News. October 31, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Bird, Kentucky rout Vanderbilt". The Jackson Sun. November 7, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Cougars upset Kentucky, 38–21". Monroe Morning World. November 14, 1965. Retrieved October 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Tennessee pass thefts in 2nd lead to 19–3 Wildcat downfall". The Park City Daily News. November 21, 1965. Retrieved May 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "1966 NFL Draft Listing | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.