A complete guide to Wildcat history
Kentucky football has had its share of ups, downs, and unforgettable moments over the last eight decades. From the glory years under Bear Bryant to the modern resurgence under Mark Stoops, the Wildcats' year-by-year journey tells a story of resilience and reinvention.
Here’s a full walkthrough of Kentucky football’s season-by-season results dating back to the post-war era:
The Wildcats capped off a historic 1946 campaign with an 7–3 record under legendary coach Bear Bryant. Just four years later, in 1950, they went 11–1 and earned a Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma — a victory many believe earned them a retroactive national title. The 1951 team followed up with an 8–4 season and another bowl appearance. From 1952–1954, Kentucky stayed above .500, finishing 5–4–2, 7–2–1, and 7–3, respectively.
Things dipped from 1955–1960, with Kentucky failing to post a winning record across those six seasons. The low point came in 1960 with a 3–6–1 finish. The Wildcats bounced back to 5–5 in 1961 and reached 6–4 in 1962 under Blanton Collier, but instability returned by the mid-60s. Kentucky hit rock bottom in 1967, going just 2–8, and didn’t record a winning season again until 1976, when Fran Curci led the Cats to a 9–3 Peach Bowl campaign.
The pinnacle of that decade came in 1977, with a 10–1 finish and an undefeated SEC record. Unfortunately, the season was tainted by NCAA probation and no bowl appearance. From there, the '80s were mostly lean years, save for a 9–3 Peach Bowl team in 1984.
In the 1990s, Bill Curry led the Cats to a pair of 6–6 seasons before handing the reins to Hal Mumme, who brought excitement — and controversy. The Air Raid era peaked with back-to-back bowl trips in 1998 and 1999 but collapsed under NCAA violations.
Guy Morriss briefly stabilized the program before Rich Brooks arrived in 2003. After three rebuilding years, Brooks led Kentucky to four straight bowl wins from 2006–2009 — the school’s best stretch in decades.
Joker Phillips took over in 2010 but struggled to maintain momentum, leading to the hiring of Mark Stoops in 2013. After a rocky start, Stoops turned Kentucky into an annual bowl contender, highlighted by a 10–3 Citrus Bowl win in 2018 and another 10–3 season in 2021.
Year-by-year record since 1915:
2024: 4–8 • No Bowl
2023: 7–6 • Gator Bowl (L)
2022: 7–6 • Music City Bowl (L)
2021: 10–3 • Citrus Bowl (W)
2020: 5–6 • Gator Bowl (W)
2019: 8–5 • Belk Bowl (W)
2018: 10–3 • Citrus Bowl (W)
2017: 7–6 • Music City Bowl (L)
2016: 7–6 • TaxSlayer Bowl (L)
2015: 5–7 • No Bowl
2014: 5–7 • No Bowl
2013: 2–10 • No Bowl
2012: 2–10 • No Bowl
2011: 5–7 • No Bowl
2010: 6–7 • BBVA Compass Bowl (L)
2009: 7–6 • Music City Bowl (L)
2008: 7–6 • Liberty Bowl (W)
2007: 8–5 • Music City Bowl (W)
2006: 8–5 • Music City Bowl (W)
2005: 3–8 • No Bowl
2004: 2–9 • No Bowl
2003: 4–8 • No Bowl
2002: 7–5 • No Bowl
2001: 2–9 • No Bowl
2000: 2–9 • No Bowl
1999: 6–6 • Music City Bowl (L)
1998: 7–5 • Outback Bowl (L)
1997: 5–6 • No Bowl
1996: 4–7 • No Bowl
1995: 4–7 • No Bowl
1994: 1–10 • No Bowl
1993: 6–6 • Peach Bowl (L)
1992: 4–7 • No Bowl
1991: 3–8 • No Bowl
1990: 4–7 • No Bowl
1989: 6–5 • No Bowl
1988: 5–6 • No Bowl
1987: 5–6 • No Bowl
1986: 5–5–1 • No Bowl
1985: 5–6 • No Bowl
1984: 9–3 • Hall of Fame Classic (W)
1983: 6–5–1 • Hall of Fame Classic (L)
1982: 0–10–1 • No Bowl
1981: 3–8 • No Bowl
1980: 3–8 • No Bowl
1979: 5–6 • No Bowl
1978: 4–6–1 • No Bowl
1977: 10–1 • No Bowl
1976: 8–4 • Peach Bowl (W)
1975: 2–8–1 • No Bowl
1974: 6–5 • No Bowl
1973: 5–6 • No Bowl
1972: 3–8 • No Bowl
1971: 3–8 • No Bowl
1970: 2–9 • No Bowl
1969: 2–8 • No Bowl
1968: 3–7 • No Bowl
1967: 2–8 • No Bowl
1966: 3–6–1 • No Bowl
1965: 6–4 • No Bowl
1964: 5–5 • No Bowl
1963: 3–6–1 • No Bowl
1962: 3–5–2 • No Bowl
1961: 5–5 • No Bowl
1960: 5–4–1 • No Bowl
1959: 4–6 • No Bowl
1958: 5–4–1 • No Bowl
1957: 3–7 • No Bowl
1956: 6–4 • No Bowl
1955: 6–3–1 • No Bowl
1954: 7–3 • No Bowl
1953: 7–2–1 • No Bowl
1952: 5–4–2 • No Bowl
1951: 8–4 • Cotton Bowl (W)
1950: 11–1 • Sugar Bowl (W)
1949: 9–3 • Orange Bowl (L)
1948: 5–3–2 • No Bowl
1947: 8–3 • Great Lakes Bowl (W)
1946: 7–3 • No Bowl
1945: 2–8 • No Bowl
1944: 3–6 • No Bowl
1942: 3–6–1 • No Bowl
1941: 5–4 • No Bowl
1940: 5–3–2 • No Bowl
1939: 6–2–1 • No Bowl
1938: 2–7 • No Bowl
1937: 4–6 • No Bowl
1936: 6–4 • No Bowl
1935: 5–4 • No Bowl
1934: 5–5 • No Bowl
1933: 5–5 • No Bowl
1932: 4–5 • No Bowl
1931: 5–2–2 • No Bowl
1930: 5–3 • No Bowl
1929: 6–1–1 • No Bowl
1928: 4–3–1 • No Bowl
1927: 3–6–1 • No Bowl
1926: 2–6–1 • No Bowl
1925: 6–3 • No Bowl
1924: 4–5 • No Bowl
1923: 4–3–2 • No Bowl
1922: 6–3 • No Bowl
1921: 4–3–1 • No Bowl
1920: 3–4–1 • No Bowl
1919: 3–4–1 • No Bowl
1918: 2–1 • No Bowl
1917: 3–5–1 • No Bowl
1916: 4–1–2 • No Bowl
1915: 6–1–1 • No Bowl