Texas Longhorns Opponent Preview: Kentucky Wildcats

It's time for Kentucky to start beating the strong teams, and Texas might be on the Wildcats' way to achieve this goal.

The 2024 Kentucky football team pose for a photo at Kroger Field during Media Day, Friday. August 2, 2024 in Lexington. / Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kentucky's 2023 season had some ups and downs. The Wildcats stayed out of the AP Poll top 25 throughout the season and faced some big losses to ranked teams like Alabama and Georgia, but had a turnaround against "weaker" conference teams, such as Vanderbilt and Missouri, teams Kentucky had fallen to in 2022.

Going into 2024 and the first reveal of this season's AP Poll, the Wildcats were once again left out of the top 25.

The 2024 conference season will start with a bang for Kentucky, as it faces No. 1 Georgia at home, but the team will only face two other pre-season ranked teams in Ole Miss and Tennessee before facing Texas at DKR on Nov. 23.

A highlight is Kentucky's relationship with the transfer portal in the past offseason. Though there weren't many painful losses for the Wildcats, Mark Stoops might have scored gold in signing former Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Sr.

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops smiled while walking onto the field before the Kentucky Wildcats' Blue White scrimmage at Kroger Field on Saturday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky. April 13, 2024 / Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

And if the name Stoops is familiar for Texas fans, it's with good reason.

Kentucky head coach's brother Bob Stoops led the Oklahoma Sooners for 18 years, and took home the Red River Showdown's Golden Hat 12 times. Now, 73 years after Texas and Kentucky last met, Mark will try to continue his younger brother's legacy.

Kentucky Wildcats

2023 Record: 7-6, 3-5 in the SEC

Head Coach: Mark Stoops

Returning Offensive Leaders

Passing: Transfer QB Brock Vandagriff

2023 stats for Georgia: 165 yards on 18 pass attempts with two touchdowns.

Rushing: WR Barion Brown

2023 stats: 147 yards on 12 attempts and four touchdowns.

Receiving: WR Dane Key

2023 stats: 636 yards with 42 receptions and six touchdowns.

Returning Defensive Leaders

Tackles: LB D'Eryk Jackson - 54 solo, 34 assisted for a total of 88 tackles

Interceptions:  - DB Maxwell Hairston - five interceptions

Sacks: DT Deone Walker - eight sacks