Rise of the Bluegrass Empire: A Kentucky Wildcats Dynasty

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

A bit surprised to see Oregon unranked. Been a tough year for them? Injuries? Bad defense? Who is the best opponent Coastal Carolina has beat this year? Do they have any notable wins or upcoming games?

Injuries on the defensive side of the ball and lousy defense (ranked 96th) have been their Achilles' Heel this season. They are currently ranked #34 on my CFP Spreadsheet. They have two good Quad 1 wins (#10 Washington, #22 BYU) and two Quad 2 wins (#47 Arizona, #48 Washington State). But they have two Quad 3 losses (#63 UCLA, #76 Stanford) and a Quad 4 loss (#117 Colorado).

As for Coastal Carolina, their best win so far this season was over #39 Buffalo (their only Quad 2 or higher victory). They have Virginia (#61, 5-5) and James Madison (#36, 7-2) left on their schedule.

[jasontoddwhitt]

The Agony of Recruitment: Kentucky Misses Out on Key Prospects

It was a rollercoaster ride for the Kentucky Wildcats on the recruiting trail as they were coming up short on three promising prospects. The Wildcats had high hopes of securing the commitment of 4-star Free Safety Willie Franklin III, who was rated the #6 FS in the class. However, the talented defensive back wore the Arkansas Razorbacks jersey, leaving Kentucky and Mississippi State in the dust.

Another blow for the Wildcats was the decision of 3-star Defensive Tackle Clark Gianacakos. Despite a strong push from Kentucky and Miami (OH), Gianacakos pledged his future to the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Cats had hoped to bolster their defensive line with this skilled prospect, but it wasn't meant to be.

In a tough loss for the Wildcats secondary, 3-star Free Safety Masen Pike, rated the #97 FS in the class, slipped through Kentucky's grasp, committing to Mississippi State. This dynamic safety chose to join the Bulldogs over Central Michigan and Ole Miss, leaving Kentucky to search for other defensive standouts.

While the recruitment process can be full of highs and lows, the Wildcats will regroup and continue their pursuit of top-tier talent to strengthen their team in the coming seasons.



Bowl Projection









SEC Scenarios

Georgia - Clinches SEC East with victory over Kentucky.
Kentucky - Clinches SEC East with victory over Georgia AND Tennessee loss to South Carolina or Vanderbilt.
Tennessee - Clinches SEC East with victories over South Carolina and Vanderbilt AND Kentucky defeats Georgia.
Florida - While Florida can tie for the lead, they would be eliminated via tiebreakers.

[jasontoddwhitt]

[studbucket]

Huge game. If you win, what's the tiebreaker situation between you, Florida, and Georgia?

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

Huge game. If you win, what's the tiebreaker situation between you, Florida, and Georgia?

I'm not sure how correct it is in NCAA 14, but using the SEC tiebreakers for 3+ teams, it's the head-to-head record between the three teams. So if we beat Georgia and Florida finishes 6-2 as well, we would win the tiebreaker because we would be 2-0 against Georgia and Florida, Florida would be 1-1, and Georgia would be 0-2.

That's why it would be necessary for Tennessee to stay out of any tiebreaker scenario. Say we all end up 6-2...we would be 2-1, Tennessee would be 2-1, Georgia would be 1-2, and Florida would be 1-2.

Then, it would become a head-to-head tiebreak between us and Tennessee, and they beat us.

Not that any of this matters....

[jasontoddwhitt]

Kendall Milton gave no free rides to Jordan Lovett on the way to his second rushing TD of the night.

Georgia Secure Hard-Fought Victory Against Kentucky in Defensive Battle, Clinch SEC East

LEXINGTON, KY - In a gritty showdown between the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats, the Bulldogs managed to clinch the SEC East title with a hard-fought 20-14 victory. While the Wildcats came up just short in their upset bid, the Bulldogs' defense proved to be the difference-maker on a chilly November night.

The game was a defensive struggle right from the start, with both teams battling the cold conditions. Georgia drew first blood with a touchdown run by Kendall Milton, and it seemed they might pull away early. However, Kentucky answered back when Will Levis connected with Dane Key on a spectacular 60-yard touchdown pass.


Dane Key shrugs off Malaki Starks and races to the end zone for his 8th TD catch of the season.

In a crucial moment late in the first half, Kentucky was driving for a potential score, but a costly interception by Will Levis stalled their momentum. This turnover was a turning point in the game and prevented the Wildcats from seizing the lead before halftime.


Freshman Malaki Starks gets his second interception of the season, cutting short a potential Kentucky scoring drive.

The second quarter saw Georgia take a 10-7 lead after a long field goal by Jack Podlesny. The Bulldogs extended their advantage in the third quarter when Kendall Milton found the end zone once again.

As the game progressed into the fourth quarter, Kentucky made a valiant effort to claw their way back into the contest. Will Levis threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brenden Bates, putting them within striking distance at 17-14. However, it was too little, too late as the Georgia defense held Kentucky on their final drive and then the offense killed the final three minutes of the game.


Levis makes an inch-perfect throw over the out-stretched hands of Starks to TE Brenden Bates to pull to within three.

Georgia's defense held firm when it mattered most, securing the win and the SEC East title. The Bulldogs will now face No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship game, with their sights set on a conference championship and a potential berth in the College Football Playoff.

"We knew this game would be a tough one, and I'm proud of our guys for grinding it out," said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. "Now, we've clinched the SEC East, and we're looking forward to facing Alabama in the SEC Championship. We know it won't be easy, but our team is hungry and ready for the opportunity."

Despite Kentucky's best efforts, their valiant performance came up just short, leaving them with an 8-3 record on the season.

"It's a tough loss for us, but we have much to be proud of this season," said Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. "Our guys fought hard tonight, and we'll use this experience to keep growing as a team."

With the SEC Championship game looming, Georgia and Alabama are set to clash in what promises to be an epic showdown for conference supremacy. As Georgia celebrates their SEC East title, Kentucky will focus on their upcoming season finale for the Governor's Cup against in-state rivals Louisville. The Wildcats aim to rebound from tonight's tough loss and close their regular season on a high note in the highly anticipated matchup.

Georgia Bulldogs at Kentucky Wildcats
Nov 19, 2022	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#3 Georgia Bulldogs (10-1, 7-1 SEC)	7	3	7	3	20
#17 Kentucky Wildcats (8-3, 5-3 SEC)	7	0	0	7	14

Team Stats Comparison
	UGA	UK
Total Offense	276	295
Rushing Yards	144	73
Passing Yards	132	222
First Downs	17	12
Punt Return Yards	57	40
Kick Return Yards	80	34
Total Yards	413	369
Turnovers	1	1
3rd Down Conversion	4-13 (30%)	3-11 (27%)
4th Down Conversion	2-2 (100%)	1-2 (50%)
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	3-2-1 (100%)	1-1-0 (100%)
Penalties	4-20	3-25
Possession Time	18:48	13:12

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		UGA	UK
4:55	(UGA) TD: K. Milton, 4 Yd run (J. Podlesny kick)	7	0
2:50	(UK) TD: D. Key, 60 Yd pass from W. Levis (M. Ruffolo kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		UGA	UK
7:33	(UGA) FG: J. Podlesny, 51 Yd FG	10	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		UGA	UK
1:28	(UGA) TD: K. Milton, 15 Yd run (J. Podlesny kick)	17	7
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		UGA	UK
5:27	(UK) TD: B. Bates, 13 Yd pass from W. Levis (M. Ruffolo kick)	17	14
0:00	(UGA) FG: J. Podlesny, 34 Yd FG	20	14

Georgia Bulldogs PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Stetson Bennett 14/25 132 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Daijun Edwards 15 62 4.1 0 Kendall Milton 12 71 5.9 2 Stetson Bennett 9 7 0.7 0 Darnell Washington 1 7 7.0 0 Ladd McConkey 1 0 0.0 0 Kearis Jackson 1 -3 -3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Marcus Rosemy 4 26 6.5 0 Kearis Jackson 3 28 9.3 0 Brock Bowers 3 48 16.0 0 Ladd McConkey 2 6 3.0 0 Kendall Milton 1 4 4.0 0 Daijun Edwards 1 20 20.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Warren McClendon 0 2 Broderick Jones 0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Smael Mondon Jr. 9 0 0 0 Malaki Starks 5 (1tfl) 0 1 0 Jamon Dumas-Johnson 5 0 0 0 Nolan Smith 4 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Nazir Stackhouse 4 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Kelee Ringo 3 0 0 0 Kamari Lassiter 2 0 0 0 Javon Bullard 1 (1tfl) 0 0 (2pd) 0 Trezmen Marshall 1 0 0 0 Jalen Carter 1 0 0 0 Chaz Chambliss 1 0 0 0 Christopher Smith 1 0 0 0 Xavier Truss 1 0 0 0 Nyland Green 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jack Podlesny 2/2 2/2 8 52 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Brett Thorson 5 216 43.2 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kearis Jackson 2 56 28.0 0 Daijun Edwards 1 24 24.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kearis Jackson 3 33 11.0 0 Dominick Blaylock 2 24 12.0 0

Kentucky Wildcats PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Will Levis 18/35 222 2 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Chris Rodriguez Jr. 18 66 3.6 0 Will Levis 1 7 7.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jordan Dingle 5 25 5.0 0 Chauncy Magwood 3 28 9.3 0 Brenden Bates 3 36 12.0 1 Dane Key 3 87 29.0 1 Tayvion Robinson 3 38 12.6 0 Demarcus Harris 1 8 8.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jacquez Jones 8 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Deandre Square 7 0 0 0 J.J. Weaver 6 (4tfl) 3 0 0 Carrington Valentine 6 0 0 (1pd) 0 Jordan Lovett 5 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Jordan Wright 4 0 0 0 Keidron Smith 3 0 0 (1pd) 0 Alex Afari 3 0 0 0 Justin Rogers 2 0 0 0 Deone Walker 2 0 0 0 Maxwell Hairston 2 0 0 0 Kobi Albert 2 0 0 0 Tyrell Ajian 2 0 0 (1pd) 0 Tre'vonn Rybka 2 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Kahil Saunders 1 (1tfl) 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Matt Ruffolo 0/1 2/2 2 0 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Colin Goodfellow 5 213 42.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Jutahn McClain 2 34 17.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Tayvion Robinson 4 40 10.0 0

Stetson Bennett got to know J.J. Weaver well tonight. Weaver finished with six tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

[studbucket]

I agree with coach Stoops. A lot to be proud of here. Been really impressed by:
-how well Kentucky has done
-how you've set up the sliders to have close and good games
-how fun it is to read and look at your recaps

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

I agree with coach Stoops. A lot to be proud of here. Been really impressed by: -how well Kentucky has done -how you've set up the sliders to have close and good games -how fun it is to read and look at your recaps

My main goal was to have a better record than the RL 2022 Wildcats. A combination of injuries and Rich Scangarello being a horrible play-caller really derailed that squad, which led to a 7-6 record and a 3-5 SEC record. We are currently 8-3 and finished the SEC with a 5-3 record.

I forget the name of it, but the sliders are a profile I downloaded off the College Football Revamped Discord. They were able to edit the values past the in-game scale. It cleans up several deficiencies in the game. Plus some other under-the-hood mods (playbooks, AI mods that allow the AI to go no-huddle and audible realistically). Not everything...but it's night and day compared to how the OG version plays.

Appreciate you following along.