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Just In: Kentucky's Bowl Destination Revealed

The 2022 football season did not go as many expected for the Kentucky Wildcats, but Mark Stoops has produced another winning season in Lexington, and the Cats will have a chance to improve their stock heading into a pivotal off-season. 

The 7-5 Wildcats are set to to head to the Music City Bowl to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Nashville. The matchup is set for a noon EST kickoff on December 31st. 

UK and Iowa played one-another last season in the 2021 Citrus Bowl.

This matchup will be an opportunity for Kentucky to build depth and evaluate younger players heading into the off-season. The Wildcats will go into the game without starting quarterback Will Levis, who announced earlier this month he will forego the game. 

The Cats have also been hit by the transfer portal with multiple players announcing their intentions to enter so far. Below is our transfer tracker list. 

CHAUNCEY MAGWOOD

Position: Wide Receiver

Transfer Date: Nov. 28, 2022

6-foot, 198 pounds out of Albany, Georgia

Magwood caught just seven passes this year, though he was one of just seven players to total upwards of 100 receiving yards (104). His lone touchdown came in the season-opening win over Miami (OH).

The sophomore was a consistent backup for the Wildcats this season.

DEMARCUS HARRIS

Position: Wide Receiver

Transfer Date: Nov. 28, 2022

6-foot-1, 183 pounds out of Vero Beach, Florida

Harris was a part of the wide receiving core in 2020 and 2021 for Kentucky, starting a total of eight games across those two seasons. In 2022, he caught just four passes for 90 yards.

The junior's Kentucky career likely finishes with 30 receptions for 327 yards and one touchdown. As players like Barion Brown, Dane Key and Tayvion Robinson entered the fray this year, Harris was a tertiary receiving option.

CHRIS LEWIS

Position: Wide Receiver

Transfer Date: Nov. 28, 2022

6-foot-4, 202 pounds out of Pleasant Grove, Alabama

Lewis missed the final four games of the 2022 regular season after being helped off the field in the second half against Tennessee, not putting any pressure on his right leg or foot. The redshirt freshman caught just two passes in eight games, totaling 22 yards and a touchdown, which came against Youngstown State.

Like Magwood and Harris, Lewis was never able to find consistent snaps throughout the season, even before picking up his injury. 

KAVOSIEY SMOKE

Position: Running Back

Transfer Date: Dec. 1, 2022

5-foot-9, 209 pounds out of Wetumpka, Alabama

Smoke's workload faded down the second half of the season for the Cats, but over the course of his career in Lexington, he was a productive running back, earning competitive touches over the last four seasons.

His most productive season came in 2019, when he carried the ball 101 times for 616 yards and six touchdowns. He has one year of eligibility left.

With 1,583 career rushing yards, Smoke is 20th all-time in program history. He found the end zone 13 times during his long tenure at UK. He averaged 5.4 yards-per-carry. He should garner plenty of interest once he is officially in the transfer portal.

RAHSAAN LEWIS

Position: Wide Receiver

Transfer Date: Dec. 1, 2022

5-foot-11, 187 pounds out of Orlando, Florida

Lewis was at Kentucky for three seasons, catching a total of eight passes across the latter two seasons for the Wildcats, totaling 69 yards and a touchdown.

Kentucky was already the third destination for the son of NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis. Rahsaan spent his true freshman season at Central Florida before transferring to Florida Atlantic for the 2019 campaign. He then left to join UK, where he's spent the last three years. He just practiced with the Cats in 2020.

Just the same as the other UK receivers in the portal, Lewis was just behind in the pecking order.

KEATON UPSHAW

Position: Tight End

Transfer Date: Dec. 2, 2022

6-foot-, 246 pounds out of Lima, Ohio

Upshaw is the first tight end to hit the transfer portal for Kentucky after spending five seasons in Lexington. He began playing in his redshirt freshman season in 2019, making two starts. He caught seven passes for 78 yards and a score that season.

He broke out the following year, finding the end zone three times on 16 receptions, totaling 198 yards. He then missed the entire 2021 season after suffering an injury in the fall.

His senior year in 2022 wasn't as productive as others, as he caught just four passes for 50 yards.

Upshaw was a victim of injury and circumstance, which saw his productivity drop in his last year as a Wildcat. He'll certainly get a look as a grad transfer.

Tae Tae Crumes

Position: Wide Receiver

Transfer Date: Dec. 2, 2022

6-foot-1, 187 pounds out of Louisville, Kentucky

Crumes is the fifth UK wideout to hit the portal after barely playing across four seasons. He was ranked as one of the top 10 players in the state of Kentucky by Rivals.com and 247sports.com after an incredible senior season at Butler High School with 42 receptions for 877 yards.

He would redshirt in 2019, practice with the team in 2020, play in just four games in 2021 but did not see any action this season.