Coleton Price’s work in the middle of Kentucky’s offensive line is starting to get the kind of attention that follows production, not hype.
On Thursday, the Wildcats center landed two more midseason honors: a spot on the Rimington Trophy watch list, which goes to the nation’s top center, and a place on Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-America Second Team. That recognition came on top of Kentucky’s offensive line already being named to the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll earlier this week for the country’s best line unit.
“Arguably no offensive line has been more improved than Kentucky’s and Price, one of multiple transfers, has helped lead the charge,” wrote Tim Capurso of SI. “Price is a stout pass protector and is able to get downfield in the running game, making him one of the more valuable centers in the country.”
The numbers back up the praise. Price has started all six games this season and has helped Kentucky pile up 1,091 rushing yards at 5.12 yards per carry with 13 touchdowns. The Wildcats’ front has also allowed just 12 sacks.
That kind of steady play has put Price among the nation’s best at his position. Pro Football Network has him graded as the eighth-best center in college football through six weeks with an 89.4 rating. It’s a strong fit with the expectations that came with his transfer from Baylor.
“He really is the anchor up front,” Kentucky head coach Will Stein said on his radio show this week. “I would say one of the top centers in the entire country.”
Kentucky’s Big Blue Wall has looked the part through the first half of the season, and Price is a big reason why. If the second half looks anything like the first, more honors should be on the way.
In Other News...
Kentucky Turned Oklahomas Pregame Disrespect Into A Brutal Response
Before kickoff in Norman, Oklahoma players crossed a line that gave Kentucky plenty of bulletin-board material, placing pictures of Wildcats players in urinals and urinating on them. The stunt spread quickly and added an edge to a matchup Kentucky was already treating like a chance to make a statement.
Kentucky answered with a 21-13 upset and the celebration inside the locker room carried the tone of a team that had not forgotten the pregame slight. Players posted social media clips from the scene, including one showing a belt swung at Oklahoma's mascot and another holding up a screenshot of the restroom incident, turning the whole episode into the kind of postgame banter that can linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Defense Turned A Slugfest Into A First-Place SEC Statement
Kentuckys win over Oklahoma had all the feel of a grind-it-out SEC afternoon until the defense turned it into something bigger. The Wildcats came away with a 21-13 victory to improve to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, a result that left them tied for first place in the SEC and gave the program a statement win built more on disruption than style points.
The tone was set by a defense that forced four turnovers and kept Oklahoma from ever finding much rhythm. Jordan Castell delivered the clincher with an interception returned for a touchdown, while Kenny Minchey supplied enough offense with two touchdown passes. MiQuise Humphrey-Grace was part of the constant pressure up front, helping swing the field with a key pass deflection and sacks as Kentuckys defense turned a slugfest into a signature night. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Landed A National Spot Fans Will Want To See
A wild college football weekend shook up the national conversation, and Kentucky fans have one more reason to keep an eye on the latest rankings discourse. Danny Kanell, the former Florida State quarterback turned analyst, refreshed his top 12 after a slate packed with upsets, and the new look includes four SEC teams as the playoff picture continues to tighten ahead of the AP Poll release.
Georgias stunning slide from No. 1 to No. 11 after losing to Auburn grabbed the most attention, while Tennessee leads the SEC contingent at No. 6 and BYU sits atop the list. For Kentucky followers, the bigger takeaway is how quickly the race is shifting around the conference, with SEC teams still very much in the mix as speculation builds about which schools can hang onto a playoff path. [Read more 🡒]