After an NCAA report on Friday, violations from 11 players on the 2021 football team resulted in the entire season being vacated.
With one of the most successful and thrilling seasons in recent memory being sent into the abyss as far as the NCAA is concerned, it only seemed fair to give another proper look at everything that Kentucky had stripped away.
Heading into the start of the season, the Wildcats had a bright new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen — the first time — who brought his playbook to life with transfer quarterback Will Levis.
Former Mr. Kentucky Football Wan’Dale Robinson caught Levis’ first touchdown pass in UK blue in the season opening 45-10 win over ULM to start things off right.
The Wildcats would go on to win six straight to open the season, including an upset over No. 10 Florida that ended with the student section and rapper Waka Flocka Flame pouring onto the turf of Kroger Field.
The $250,000 fine was a price BBN was all too willing to make the university pay for the first staple win of the Levis era, despite it actually being a defensive masterclass that saved the game for the Cats.
A few memories Wildcat fans won’t mind parting with, however, include consecutive losses at Georgia and Mississippi State before Tennessee handed the squad its first home loss in dramatic fashion.
After the skid, Kentucky finished out the regular season undefeated to finish 9-3 with a Governor’s Cup win.
Louisville simply couldn’t keep up with the Kentucky offense as Levis put up four touchdowns including a picture-perfect hurdle for a 52-21 thumping of the Cardinals for the third year in a row.
No. 22 Kentucky then made the trip to Orlando, Florida, where it beat No. 15 Iowa 20-17 on New Year’s Day to complete the second ten-win season in four years.
The Wildcats scored on their first possession, going 80-yards with Levis hitting star running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. for the score. One more touchdown, a few field goals and several huge drives from Mark Stoops’ defense saw Kentucky hoisting the orange-filled trophy at the end of the game.
The 2021 season was a successful one for the Wildcats and provided hope for the future of Kentucky football, showing glimpses of future staples to the team.
Many of the key wins from the ‘21 season came from game-changing plays from some of this year’s biggest stars as names like D’Eryk Jackson and J.J. Weaver had huge interceptions in the Florida and Iowa games, Eli Cox was getting his first snaps under his belt and Octavious Oxendine showed flashes of excellence before injury.
Saying goodbye to the fond memories of the 2021 season comes with a bitter taste, but with the 2024 season just around the corner, UK fans hope that the Cats will be able to capture similar magic against some of the best teams in the country.
The 2024 Kentucky football season is set to kick off on Saturday, August 31, from Kroger Field against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. That game will begin at 7:45 p.m. and air live on the SEC Network.
