Kentucky heads into Saturday’s matchup with South Alabama in a spot plenty of teams would love to be in: fresh off a road upset of a top-10 opponent and now returning to Kroger Field as a heavy favorite.
The Wildcats beat Texas A&M 31-21 on Sept. 19, a win that gave Will Stein’s team a jolt after an uneven start to the season. Kentucky opened with a win over Youngstown State, dropped its Week 2 game to Alabama, then turned around and knocked off the Aggies. If the Wildcats take care of business against the Jaguars, it would be the first winning streak of the Stein era.
South Alabama arrives at 2-1 after beating Southeastern Louisiana and Ohio, then falling 28-24 to Tulane. It’s a nonconference game Kentucky should control, which raises the bigger question: how Stein handles a roster that may not need every key piece on the field for four quarters.
One thing to watch is whether Kentucky can avoid the natural post-upset dip. Stein made clear after the A&M win that there’s still plenty to sharpen up.
"There's going to be plenty to clean up from this tape, which I'm so excited about to watch," Stein said after the win over the Aggies. "There (are) plenty of ways that we can improve and then go attack this next week, because we know we have much more down the line that we've got to focus on."
That kind of message matters this week. The Wildcats are good enough to win even if they’re not at their sharpest, but the challenge is showing up with the same edge anyway.
The other major angle is health. Kentucky’s secondary took some hits against Texas A&M.
Senior safety Ty Bryant was injured just before halftime, came back in the second half, then left again after aggravating the shoulder issue. Stein addressed Bryant’s status afterward.
"Ty's good. He got banged up a little bit on his shoulder, but he ended up going back in the game," Stein told UK play-by-play broadcaster Tom Leach in a postgame interview, per Kentucky Sports Radio.
"He got hit again on it, so I’m sure he’ll be sore this next week. But I know he's the heartbeat of our defense, one of the heartbeats of our team.
So proud of him and the way he played."
Grant Grayton is another name to monitor. The sophomore started at cornerback in the opener with Terhyon Nichols hurt, but he did not play against A&M. Defensive lineman Jamarrion Harkless was also out of the rotation last week.
With South Alabama in town and eight games against power-conference foes still ahead after this one, Stein has a decision to make. He’s shown a willingness to stay aggressive - putting starters on special teams and even calling a fake punt against Alabama - but there’s also no reason to expose important players if the game is in hand.
Kentucky has several players worth tracking again. Quarterback Kenny Minchey was clean against the Aggies, going 14 of 18 for 252 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, while finishing his last 11 passes.
Running back CJ Baxter found the end zone twice against Texas A&M and now has four rushing touchdowns through three games. Defensive back Jordan Castell led the way with 13 tackles, plus an interception and a pass breakup.
South Alabama has its own players to watch. Quarterback Bishop Davenport has not thrown an interception this season and has completed 67.8% of his passes, going 40 for 59 for 450 yards and three touchdowns.
Running back Keenan Phillips leads the Jaguars with 226 rushing yards and also handles kick return duties, putting him among the top 25 in the FBS in all-purpose yards per game at 124.67. Safety Cole Blaylock has a team-high 18 tackles and is from Mobile, Alabama.
A comfortable Kentucky win would not be a surprise, and one projection has the Wildcats rolling 48-12. In that scenario, Minchey’s day would look a lot like the opener, when he threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, and the second half would belong to the reserves.
Kentucky and South Alabama kick at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at Kroger Field, with the game set for SEC Network.
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Got An Early Answer On Will Steins New Staff
Jay Batemans move from Texas A&M to Kentucky gave Will Stein an early look at what his new defensive coordinator can do, and the timing of it made the whole thing feel a little richer. Bateman was on the other sideline in Kentuckys 31-21 win over the Aggies, and his group helped keep the game from turning into a shootout, limiting Texas A&Ms chances and giving the Wildcats enough room to settle in on the road.
For Stein, the fit appears to be about more than just scheme. He spoke highly of Batemans coaching and personal qualities, underscoring the trust already forming inside the new staff. Kentucky now has an early confirmation that one of its most important hires can handle a big stage, even if the bigger question around why Bateman made the jump is still part of the larger story. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Big Blue Wall Just Sent A Message Fans Have Missed
Kentuckys win over Texas A&M was the kind of result that does not always match the box score at first glance. The Aggies finished with more first downs, more total yards and more rushing yards, but the Wildcats still walked away with the victory because their offensive line controlled the game in the way Kentucky fans have been hoping to see again.
That front made life easier for Kenny Minchey, who settled in for 252 yards and two touchdowns while the Wildcats kept the pressure squarely on Texas A&M. Even Aggies coach Mike Elko pointed to Kentuckys physical edge after the game, a telling sign that this was less about flashy numbers and more about one team setting the tone where it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Gave Will Stein's Start A Whole Different Feel
Kentuckys latest football win came with the kind of afterglow that usually lasts well beyond the final whistle. A 31-21 result and the reactions that followed turned the postgame conversation into something bigger than a single Saturday, with Ryan Lemond and Matt Jones using the Kentucky Sports Radio platform to frame what the victory could mean for the programs direction under Will Stein. The postgame show, along with interviews and commentary on the Kentucky Sports Radio YouTube channel, gave the moment a celebratory feel that matched the significance being attached to it.
For a program that has spent years searching for a win that changes the conversation, this one arrived with added weight because of who is now steering the ship. Steins start now looks different after a result that had commentators talking about the game in historically meaningful terms, and the larger question is how much momentum it can create from here. The enthusiasm is real, but the bigger story is whether this becomes a one-night jolt or the kind of win that resets expectations around Kentucky football. [Read more 🡒]