University of Kentucky senior running back Ray Davis has earned a spot on Sports Illustrated’s All-America Second Team, it was announced Thursday. The nation will get another chance to see him on the field in a Kentucky uniform after announcing on social media that he will be playing in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Dec. 29.
Davis, a 5-10, 216-pound graduate of the University of San Francisco, ranks third in the league (second among running backs) with 1,066 total yards on 186 carries and 13 rushing touchdowns this season. . He also had 29 catches and seven touchdown receptions for 317 yards. He finished the regular season as the program’s single-season record holder for touchdowns (20) and points (120 points), leading the SEC in both categories. He currently ranks 13th on the program’s single-season rushing yards list (1,066).
Davis is believed to be the only active player and the only player in NCAA history to total more than 1,000 rushing yards during his career at three different Division I schools (Temple and Vanderbilt also) . He also became the first player in SEC history to reach 1,000 yards in a season at two league schools, running for 1,042 yards at Vanderbilt last season. He has the fourth-most career rushing yards (3,563) among active players in the NCAA Football Bowl Division.
Davis’ season was notable for rushing for 280 yards and a school record-tying four total touchdowns in the win over Florida. For his efforts, he was named National Player of the Week by his two organizations.
In the classroom, Davis graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2022 with a degree in communications studies. Next Friday, he will graduate from UK with an undergraduate certificate in business administration.
Davis’ postseason honors:
All-American Second Team (Sports Illustrated)
All-American (College Football Network) Honorable Mention
First Team All-SEC (Associated Press, USA Today)
Second Team All-SEC (Coach)
Kentucky (7-5) will play in the 79th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29, in Jacksonville, Fla., against No. 22 Clemson (8-4). The Wildcats and Tigers will meet at noon ET at Bill Gay Field at Everbank Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Tickets can be purchased online at UKFootballTix.com or by phone at (800) 928-2287 (option 4). Kentucky is located on the west side of Everbank Stadium. Student ticket information is available online at UKFootballTix.com. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets directly from UK Athletics to secure their seats with other Kentucky fans and help UK meet its bowl ticket obligations.
The appearance in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl extends Kentucky’s school record of eight consecutive bowl appearances, all of which have come under Stoops’ direction. UK is one of only eight teams in the nation and one of only three teams in the SEC (along with Alabama and Georgia) with at least eight consecutive bowl appearances.
For more information about the UK football team, visit ukathletics.com/football and follow the team on Facebook and Instagram. “X”, formerly Twitter.