It was an up-and-down season for Kentucky football — and those who follow the team on Kentucky sports betting sites — as the team saw its campaign end last week in a thrilling shootout loss to Clemson in the Gator Bowl.
The Wildcats finished with a 7-6 record for the second straight year. It was also the second straight season where UK started strong, winning their first five games before stumbling through the heart of SEC play. However, coach Mark Stoops’ team rallied to upset rival Louisville on the road in the regular season finale. The Cats nearly did the same to Clemson, but the Tigers scored a last-minute touchdown to pull out a 38-35 win.
While the record remained the same, BetKentucky.com did find one area where the Cats improved.
UK wasn’t the only team to see its offensive production increase. Several saw their offenses increase their scoring from the 2022 to 2023 season. BetKentucky.com utilized TeamRankings.com to see the biggest change in average points scored per game by every Power 5 college football team. Here’s where the Wildcats ranked.
Most Improved Offenses in College Football
Kentucky betting apps list Michigan as a 4.5-point favorite in this year’s College Football Playoff National Championship game against Washington in Houston on Monday. The over-under is 56.5 total points.
Welcome Back, Coen
UK’s resurgence on offense can be traced back to one development — Liam Coen’s return to Lexington as the Wildcats offensive coordinator. Coen served in that position for the 2021 season, when Kentucky went 10-3 and won the Citrus Bowl over Iowa. That team scored more than 32 points per game, ranking 36th nationally.
After that season, Coen jumped to the NFL to become the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. UK’s offense struggled without Coen’s guidance, and its 20.4 points per game average ranked 112th out of 131 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Quarterback Devin Leary transferred from North Carolina State and running back Ray Davis arrived from Vanderbilt to lead the offensive attack. Sophomore receiver Barion Brown also had two of his best games against Louisville and Clemson, showcasing his speed to score touchdowns on kickoff returns.
2024 Odds Already Available
Most Kentucky fans have moved on to basketball season, where the Cats are one of the favorites to win the national title this season. However, some betting options are already available for next fall’s college football campaign.
FanDuel Sportsbook Kentucky lists the Cats at +20000 (200-1) to win the national title next season. Quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who transferred to UK last month after playing this season at Georgia, has odds of +13000 on FanDuel’s Heisman Trophy futures board.
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