Tag: 2024 Kentucky football

247Sports projects Kentucky to play in this 2024 college football bowl game

247Sports’ Brad Crawford sees the Wildcats playing in the Liberty Bowl.

The Kentucky Wildcats are hoping to improve on their win total ahead of the 2024 college football season after back-to-back 7-6 campaigns.

It won’t be easy. The Wildcats will continue their annual rivalry with Georgia (September 14 in Lexington), plus make road trips to Oxford and Austin to play Ole Miss (September 28) and SEC newcomer Texas (November 23).

That’s in addition to road trips to scheduling mainstays Florida (October 19) and Tennessee (November 2), plus the annual Governor’s Cup with Louisville (played in Lexington this season on November 30). The Cardinals won 10 games a season ago and came close to knocking off Florida State in the ACC Championship Game.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford made his bowl projections for the 2024 college football season earlier this week and forecast Kentucky to reach the Liberty Bowl for a matchup against the Big 12’s Houston Cougars in Memphis.

Kentucky has played in the Liberty Bowl only once before — on January 2, 2009, when the Wildcats faced East Carolina. Coach Rich Brooks’ team rallied to defeat the Pirates, 25-19, that year. Ventrell Jenkins recovered a fumble and ran 56 yards for the game-winning score to cap a 7-6 season.

The Wildcats faced Clemson in the Gator Bowl last season. The Tigers staged a 28-point fourth-quarter rally to beat the ‘Cats, 38-35.

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Kentucky’s Deone Walker named Walter Camp Preseason All-American

Deone Walker continues to earn preseason recognition.

Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker was selected as a Preseason Second Team All-American by Walter Camp on Monday.

Walker, a 6-foot-6, 348-pound lineman from Detroit’s Cass Technical High School, is entering his junior season with the Wildcats after registering 55 tackles (28 solo), 7.5 sacks, and two pass breakups during his sophomore season in 2023. He had 12.5 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries.

His selection to the Walter Camp list, the nation’s oldest college football All-America team, is the latest accolade for Walker, who was also named to the 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List as well as garnering preseason All-America nods from both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.

Walker recorded a season-high nine tackles (eight solo, four TFL) in Kentucky’s 17-14 loss to South Carolina last season. In the Wildcats’ 33-14 victory over Florida in Lexington on September 30, he broke up a pass from Gators quarterback Graham Mertz that was intercepted by Trevin Wallace and returned to the Florida 15-yard line.

Two plays later, Ray Davis caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Devin Leary to give Kentucky an early 10-0 lead en route to a 23-7 halftime advantage.

Walker closed the season with four tackles and two sacks against Clemson in the Gator Bowl.

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