As the Longhorns enter the second-to-last week of regular-season play, Kentucky is a looming threat on the horizon. The Wildcats have had a season of ups and downs. Those ups include a near-upset of Georgia, with Kentucky losing by only one point in a nail-biting 13-12 match.
With Kentucky making the trip to play the Longhorns on their home turf, here are some notable players to look out for on the green of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Brock Vandagriff – quarterback
Vandagriff’s junior season has showcased his growth as a quarterback since his transfer to Kentucky after sitting on the bench for Georgia in 2021 and 2022. Playing under Devin Leary, Vandagriff threw 12 passes for 165 yards last season. Now, Vandagriff is sitting at 122 completions for 1,542 yards and a completion average of 57.8%. Vandagriff has thrown for nine touchdowns and seven interceptions this season while maintaining an average depth of 7.3 yards for each pass.
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye – running back
Senior running back Sumo-Karngbaye has been a large part of Kentucky’s success this season, improving from only 20 carries last season to 109 this year for 505 yards. Sumo-Karngbaye has run the ball into the endzone five times and averages close to five yards per carry. He is extremely valuable in the passing game as well, with 18 receptions for 142 yards.
Dane Key – wide receiver
With 44 receptions for 686 yards, junior Key has been a top receiver for Kentucky since he joined the Wildcats in 2022. With the season not even over, Key has broken all of his former personal bests — except for in the endzone. Although Key only has two touchdowns to show for this season, he averages 15.6 yards per catch and is a dominant threat to any SEC secondary.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson – linebacker
Dumas-Johnson is a lion on the Wildcats’ defense, with 32 solo and 54 total tackles. The senior has also recorded 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Dumas-Johnson has already improved his career-best from last year by 20 tackles — and the season isn’t over yet.
