Rise of the Bluegrass Empire: A Kentucky Wildcats Dynasty

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by frappuccino

Don't know much about Kentucky Wildcats, but I liked Benny Snell and Jamin Davis

I thought Benny would do better in the NFL. His first two seasons showed promise, but after that, sheesh. Kentucky always has a thing with developing 3-star prospects, and Jamin was another one of those dudes. He came out of nowhere during his junior year at Kentucky to become a first-round draft pick.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Silly me forgot to use the Dynasty Tool to swap in an actual FCS team for the default one. I have shamed myself.

Barion Brown torched the Colonels on a 67-yard connection late in the first half.

Wildcats Pounce on Colonels, Defending the Commonwealth with Authority

By Alex Carrington

In a clash that echoed the heritage of Kentucky football, the #13 Wildcats defended their home turf against in-state FCS rival Eastern Kentucky, securing a resounding 47-3 victory at Kroger Field. The game showcased the Wildcats' dominance on both sides of the ball, leaving no doubt about their prowess and determination as they improved their record to 7-2.


Kiyaunta Goodwin versus a defensive back is absolutely not fair.

Kentucky asserted its superiority from the opening whistle, mounting an insurmountable lead that left Eastern Kentucky trailing in its wake. The first quarter saw the Wildcats set the tone, with Jereme Thibodeaux booting a couple of field goals, swiftly followed by a 2-yard touchdown run by JuTahn McClain and a 1-yard pass from Jason Bean to Barion Brown, propelling the Wildcats to a commanding 20-0 lead.

The second quarter only widened the chasm between the two teams, with Thibodeaux adding another field goal and McClain notching another touchdown on the ground, this time from 3 yards out. However, the explosive connection between Bean and Brown stole the show, as they connected on a dazzling 67-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, sending the Wildcats into the locker room with a commanding 37-0 lead.


Jason Bean's deep ball accuracy was on point today.

Despite a valiant effort from Eastern Kentucky in the third quarter, the Wildcats remained firmly in control, with Izayah Cummings adding another touchdown reception from Bean to extend their lead. While Eastern Kentucky managed to get on the board with a field goal, it was too late, as the Wildcats continued to assert their dominance on both sides of the ball.

Kentucky's offense operated precisely and efficiently throughout the game, with Bean orchestrating the attack with poise and accuracy. Thibodeaux's flawless kicking performance, McClain's bruising runs, and Brown's explosive plays in the passing game left Eastern Kentucky's defense reeling and unable to contain the Wildcats' offensive onslaught.

Defensively, the Wildcats were equally formidable, stifling Eastern Kentucky's offensive efforts at every turn and denying them any momentum. Led by Jackson Schulz, Trevin Wallace, and Kobi Albert, the Wildcats' defense swarmed to the ball, suffocating Eastern Kentucky's running game and harassing their quarterbacks into submission.


It was at this moment the QB knew he was in for a world of hurt.

Following the game, head coach Mark Stoops expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, praising their discipline and execution. "I'm proud of how our guys came out and took care of business today," said Stoops. "We knew Eastern Kentucky would come out fired up, but our guys stayed focused and executed the game plan perfectly. We must still finish our drives, as we settled for too many field goals. But overall, it was a great performance."

The Wildcats will now focus on a trip to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores, determined to build on their success and continue their march toward a potential SEC championship berth. With their sights set firmly on the horizon, the Wildcats will look to carry the momentum from their dominant victory over Eastern Kentucky into the season's final stretch as they seek to stake their claim as one of the premier teams in college football.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Kentucky Wildcats
Nov 4, 2023	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
Eastern Kentucky Colonels ()	0	0	3	0	-	3
#13 Kentucky Wildcats (7-2)	20	17	7	3	-	47

Team Stats Comparison
	EKY	UK
Total Offense	216	483
Rushing Yards	37	177
Passing Yards	179	306
First Downs	12	25
Punt Return Yards	0	61
Kick Return Yards	26	49
Total Yards	242	593
Turnovers	0	0
3rd Down Conversion	1-12 (8%)	10-14 (71%)
4th Down Conversion	1-2 (50%)	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Trips/Touchdowns/Field Goals	2-0-1 (50%)	8-4-4 (100%)
Penalties	13-130	5-25
Possession Time	14:24	21:36

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		EKY	UK
7:32	(UK) FG: Jereme Thibodeaux, 36 Yd FG	0	3
4:05	(UK) FG: Jereme Thibodeaux, 23 Yd FG	0	6
2:24	(UK) TD: JuTahn McClain, 2 Yd run (XP Good)	0	13
0:31	(UK) TD: Barion Brown, 1 Yd pass from Jason Bean (XP Good)	0	20
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		EKY	UK
5:19	(UK) FG: Jereme Thibodeaux, 24 Yd FG	0	23
2:44	(UK) TD: JuTahn McClain, 3 Yd run (XP Good)	0	30
0:00	(UK) TD: Barion Brown, 67 Yd pass from Jason Bean (XP Good)	0	37
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		EKY	UK
4:33	(UK) TD: Izayah Cummings, 1 Yd pass from Jason Bean (XP Good)	0	44
0:36	(EKY) TD: K#30, 34 Yd FG	3	44
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		EKY	UK
4:15	(UK) FG: Jereme Thibodeaux, 22 Yd FG	3	47

Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Kentucky Wildcats PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Jason Bean 21/25 306 3 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD JuTahn McClain 22 107 4.8 2 Kavosiey Smoke 13 41 3.1 0 Jason Bean 6 21 3.5 0 Izayah Cummings 2 7 3.5 0 Tayvion Robinson 1 4 4.0 0 Barion Brown 1 -3 -3.0 0 RECEIVING REC/TGT YDS AVG TD Jordan Dingle 6/6 113 18.8 0 Barion Brown 3/5 84 28.0 2 Dane Key 5/5 67 13.4 0 Tayvion Robinson 1/1 23 23.0 0 Kavosiey Smoke 2/2 20 10.0 0 JuTahn McClain 1/1 0 0.0 0 Izayah Cummings 3/3 -1 -0.3 1 Brenden Bates 0/1 0 0.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Kiyaunta Goodwin 2 0 Kenneth Horsey 2 0 Eli Cox 2 0 Izayah Cummings 2 0 Brenden Bates 2 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jackson Schulz 9 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Trevin Wallace 5 0 0 (1pd) 0 Kobi Albert 4 (1tfl) 0 0 0 J.J. Weaver 3 (2tfl) 0 0 0 Jordan Lovett 3 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Andru Phillips 3 0 0 (1pd) 0 Deone Walker 2 (1tfl) 1 0 0 Eyabi Okie 2 0 0 0 Maxwell Hairston 2 (1tfl) 0 0 0 D'Eryk Jackson 2 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Carrington Valentine 2 0 0 (1pd) 0 Desmond Evans 1 (1tfl) 0 0 0 Adrian Huey 1 0 0 0 Chauncy Magwood 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jereme Thibodeaux 4/4 5/5 17 36 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Jake Holley 1 51 51.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barion Brown 2 49 24.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Barion Brown 6 61 10.1 0

[frappuccino]

Quote: Originally Posted by jasontoddwhitt

I thought Benny would do better in the NFL. His first two seasons showed promise, but after that, sheesh. Kentucky always has a thing with developing 3-star prospects, and Jamin was another one of those dudes. He came out of nowhere during his junior year at Kentucky to become a first-round draft pick.

Just drafted Najee and he got forgotten about. At that time, our o-line was absolute garbage. Jaylen Samuels dealt a bad hand too.

Forgot Bud went to Kentucky too, a solid program

[jasontoddwhitt]

Week 11 Edition

Clemson Dominates Florida State 48-31 Behind Klubnik and Shipley's Stellar Performances

In a showdown between two top-ranked ACC teams, #8 Clemson demonstrated their offensive prowess with a commanding 48-31 victory over #14 Florida State. With Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis sidelined, their offense faltered, committing three turnovers and struggling to find consistency. Meanwhile, the Tigers capitalized on the opportunity, as quarterback Cade Klubnik orchestrated a potent offensive attack, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Will Shipley further fueled Clemson's dominance with an impressive 166-yard rushing performance, adding two touchdowns of his own to secure the Tigers' decisive win.

Ohio State Soars Past Michigan State 56-35 in Offensive Showcase

In a high-scoring affair, #1 Ohio State displayed their offensive prowess, overpowering Michigan State with a commanding 56-35 victory. The Buckeyes seized control early, building a 35-7 lead they never relinquished. Despite a valiant effort from Spartans QB Payton Thorne, who threw for 386 yards and 4 TDs, Michigan State's five turnovers, including critical fumbles by receiver Keon Coleman, proved costly. Ohio State QB Kyle McCord orchestrated a stellar performance, amassing 433 yards and 5 TDs through the air, while RB TreVeyon Henderson added 111 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. shined with 11 receptions for 212 yards and 1 TD, securing Ohio State's dominance on the road.

LSU Outlasts Alabama in Thrilling 38-31 Road Victory

In a high-scoring showdown, #3 LSU secured a hard-fought road victory over #12 Alabama, prevailing 38-31. Despite four turnovers, LSU's offense maintained control, with QB Tyler Buchner orchestrating five touchdown passes. Running back Josh Williams proved versatile, contributing three touchdowns. Alabama's efforts fell short despite RB Jase McClellan's two touchdowns, as LSU's defense contained their offense effectively throughout the game.

Arkansas Stuns #17 Ole Miss with Late Touchdown to Secure 33-32 Road Victory

In a thrilling showdown, Arkansas pulled off a remarkable comeback victory on the road against #17 Ole Miss, securing a narrow 33-32 win. After falling behind 26-24 in the fourth quarter, Ole Miss appeared to gain momentum with a late TD pass from QB Jaxson Dart to TE Michael Trigg. However, Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson orchestrated a composed drive, culminating in a clutch five-yard TD pass to HB Raheim Sanders. Despite a last-ditch effort by Ole Miss, Dart's interception sealed the Razorbacks' triumph. Sanders shone for Arkansas, tallying 110 rushing yards and contributing 42 receiving yards along with 2 TDs. Dart impressed for Ole Miss with 311 passing yards and 4 TDs, but the Rebels suffered their third consecutive loss after starting the season 6-0.

Penn State Shocks #16 Michigan with 34-13 Upset Victory in Happy Valley

In a stunning upset, Penn State dominated #16 Michigan with a commanding 34-13 victory at home. The Nittany Lions surged ahead with 21 unanswered points in the second quarter, seizing control of the game. Penn State's defense put on a stellar performance, holding Michigan to just 296 yards of total offense and forcing two turnovers. Quarterback Drew Allar led the charge, orchestrating the offense with 221 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, securing a crucial win for the Nittany Lions.









With their victory over Alabama and Arkansas' victory over Ole Miss, LSU has clinched the SEC West. Though Texas A&M could tie LSU for the division lead, LSU holds the head-to-head tiebreaker on the Aggies.

Things are still jumbled in the SEC East, with Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and South Carolina all still remaining in the hunt for Atlanta.

[jasontoddwhitt]

In Depth



Last year marked back-to-back seasons that a Group of Five school made it into the playoff (2022 - Cincinnati, 2023 - Coastal Carolina). Can we make it three in a row? Troy moved to 9-0 on the season and vaulted into the top ten. They have three very winnable games coming up before a potential date with Coastal Carolina in the SBC Championship and a showdown between Grayson McCall (2,700 yards and 24 TDs) and Gunnar Watson (2,452 yards and 28 TDs). Troy will need help getting into the top four, but that's exactly what happened for Coastal last year.

[jasontoddwhitt]

[studbucket]

Love the top 25 and CFP update.

Minnesota is the 2nd best Big 10 team and Purdue is the 3rd? What world are we living in??

[jasontoddwhitt]

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

Love the top 25 and CFP update. Minnesota is the 2nd best Big 10 team and Purdue is the 3rd? What world are we living in??

Big Ten has been wild. All the top teams have been beating up on each other, while Purdue and Minnesota have dodged most of the big teams. The Big Ten title game is already set (Ohio State vs Minnesota).

Minnesota has the #3 rusher in the nation, which is impressive for an 83 OVR back (Trey Potts - 223 CAR, 1265 YDS, 14 TD).

Hudson Card is currently ranked #2 in the nation in passing yards (219-330, 3,315 YDS, 30 TD). Purdue has been getting the most out of him for sure.