1978 Kentucky Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1978
| team = Kentucky Wildcats
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southeastern Conference
| short_conf = SEC
| record = 4–6–1
| conf_record = 2–4
| head_coach = Fran Curci
| hc_year = 6th
| off_coach = Perry Moss
| oc_year = 2nd
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Charlie Bailey
| dc_year = 4th
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Commonwealth Stadium
}}
{{1978 Southeastern Conference football standings}}
The 1978 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth season under head coach Fran Curci, the Wildcats compiled a 4–6–1 record (2–4 against SEC opponents), finished in a tie for seventh place in the SEC, and outscored their opponents, 193 to 189.{{cite web|title=1978 Kentucky Wildcats Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=August 23, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kentucky/1978-schedule.html}}{{cite web|title=Kentucky Football Media Guide|publisher=University of Kentucky|access-date=August 23, 2016|page=184|year=2015|url=http://www.ukathletics.com/page/2015-football-media-guide}} The team played its home games in Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.
The team's statistical leaders included Larry McCrimmon with 752 passing yards, Fred Williams with 313 rushing yards, and Felix Wilson with 727 receiving yards. Kentucky began the year ranked 17th, but fell out of the polls after week one.{{cite web|title=1978 Kentucky Wildcats Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=August 23, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kentucky/1978.html}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = yes
| source = yes
|September 16|at|South Carolina
|September 23||Baylor
|September 30|at|No. 15 Maryland
|October 7||No. 5 Penn State
|October 14|at|Ole Miss|Hemingway Stadium|Oxford, MS|W 24-17|38,290|{{cite news|title=Kentucky booms Ole Miss 24-17|newspaper=The Greenwood Commonwealth|author=David Crews|date=October 15, 1978|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86546895/kentucky-booms-ole-miss-24-17/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 21||No. 16 LSU|Commonwealth Stadium|Lexington, KY|L 0-21|57,918|{{cite news|title=Alexander Halted but LSU Rolls, 21-0|newspaper=Sunday Herald-Leader|author=D.G. FitzMaurice|date=October 22, 1978|pages=C1, C7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86545109/alexander-halted-but-lsu-rolls-21-0/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 28||No. 16 Georgia|Commonwealth Stadium|Lexington, KY|L 16-17|56,918|{{cite news|title=Delight Turns to Dejection as UK Falls 17-16|newspaper=Sunday Herald-Leader|author=John A. McGill|date=October 29, 1978|pages=C1, C7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86544840/delight-turns-to-dejection-as-uk-falls/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 4|at|Virginia Tech
|November 11||Vanderbilt|Commonwealth Stadium|Lexington, KY (rivalry)|W 53-2|57,800|{{cite news|title=UK 53, Vandy 2, and It Wasn't That Close|newspaper=Sunday Herald-Leader|author=D.G. FitzMaurice|date=November 12, 1978|pages=C1, C7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86544593/uk-53-vandy-2-and-it-wasnt-that/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 18||Florida|Commonwealth Stadium|Lexington, KY (rivalry)|L 16-18|56,500|{{cite news|title=History Haunts As Field Goal Sinks Wildcats|newspaper=The Lexington Herald|author=John A. McGill|date=November 19, 1978|pages=C1, C7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86544314/history-haunts-as-field-goal-sinks/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 25|at|Tennessee|Neyland Stadium|Knoxville, TN (rivalry)|L 14-29|84,926|{{cite news|title=Duncan's Foot Lifts Vol Fortunes|newspaper=The Tennessean|author=F.M. Williams|date=November 26, 1978|pages=Sports 1, 3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86546049/duncans-foot-lifts-vol-fortunes/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}