Kentucky gets another crack at a top-10 opponent in Week 6, and this one comes with homecoming stakes.
The Wildcats, who have won three straight and are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC, will host No. 10 LSU on Saturday night at Kroger Field.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EDT, with ESPN carrying the game.
It gives Kentucky a shot at a second win this season over an AP Top 10 team.
Around the SEC, the other big storyline for UK fans is a tricky road for one of Kentucky’s rivals. Tennessee will turn to sophomore quarterback George MacIntyre in place of injured Faizon Brandon when the No.
15 Volunteers visit Arkansas on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. EDT on the SEC Network.
The Razorbacks are 2-3 overall and 0-2 in league play.
There is also a major matchup in Lexington’s rearview mirror involving Louisville, which is trying to stop the bleeding after back-to-back losses. Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals, now 2-3 and 1-2 in the ACC, will face Florida State on Friday at 7 p.m.
EDT at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. ESPN will televise the game.
A few national games stand out beyond Kentucky’s orbit. No.
7 Indiana, still unbeaten at 5-0, travels to Nebraska in a noon EDT kickoff on FOX, a game that will offer a clearer read on Matt Rhule’s rebuild. Later Saturday, No.
1 Texas meets Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC.
And if Tropical Storm Isaias cooperates, No. 2 Georgia and No.
6 Alabama will meet in the SEC’s marquee showdown at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ABC.
Several former Kentucky figures are in the spotlight on the sideline. Jon Sumrall, now Florida’s coach, will try to steady the No.
16 Gators after last week’s 45-17 loss at Missouri. Florida is 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC and will host South Carolina at 12:45 p.m.
EDT Saturday on the SEC Network. Neal Brown, the former UK wide receiver and offensive coordinator, will lead North Texas against Charlotte at 3:30 p.m.
EDT on ESPN+. Troy, coached by former Kentucky wide receiver and graduate assistant Gerad Parker, is idle until Oct. 17 after beating Southern Mississippi 55-34 on Tuesday night.
Former Wildcats are also scattered across the field. Cutter Boley threw for 304 yards for Arizona State last week, though the Sun Devils were beaten 55-19 by Baylor.
Arizona State, now 2-2 and 1-1 in the Big 12, plays Hawaii at 9:30 p.m. EDT Saturday on FS1.
Ex-UK wide receiver Troy Stellato caught a 16-yard pass in UNLV’s 39-31 win over California, and the Rebels will meet North Dakota State at 7 p.m. EDT on the CW with the Mountain West lead on the line.
Kentucky will also line up against a familiar name again this week. Offensive tackle Darrin Strey, who followed former UK offensive line coach Eric Wolford to LSU after last season, is listed as the Tigers’ second-team right tackle.
Elsewhere in the state, Western Kentucky opens Conference USA home play against Missouri State on Thursday night at 7 p.m. EDT on CBS Sports Network.
Eastern Kentucky hosts West Georgia at 6 p.m. EDT Saturday on ESPN+.
Morehead State heads to Dayton for a noon EDT Pioneer League game streamed on YouTube, while Murray State is idle.
At the small-college level, Georgetown College goes to No. 11 Lindsey Wilson for a Mid-South Conference showdown at 2:30 p.m.
EDT Saturday, with streaming available on lindseyathletics.com. NAIA No.
13 Campbellsville visits Cumberlands at 1:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, and Kentucky State hosts Miles at 2 p.m.
EDT in its homecoming game.
In Other News...
Kentucky Gets A Needed Boost Despite One Late Availability Concern
Kentuckys latest availability update brought some clarity going into the weekend, and it came with a bit of relief for a roster that has already spent plenty of time juggling injuries. Under the SECs new weekly reporting policy, the Wildcats had to file an official status update Friday, and it confirmed several players will be unavailable, including defensive tackle Kalen Edwards, who moved from doubtful to out.
Even with that setback, the bigger picture is more encouraging for Kentucky as it heads into the next game. The Wildcats are still expected to be short-handed, but the sense around the program is that at least three of the teams top players are on track to make it back onto the field, giving the roster a much-needed boost at a time when depth has been tested. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans Get A Game Day Warning Before Sold Out LSU Night
Kentucky fans heading to Kroger Field for the sold-out LSU game are being asked to plan for more than just a full house Saturday night. Kentucky Athletics issued a weather advisory ahead of the 7 p.m. ET kickoff, noting that rainy and windy conditions are expected and that the program has already adjusted its game-day plans accordingly.
The most visible change is a rescheduled halftime drone show, while fans are being urged to come prepared with rain gear and to make sure tailgating items are secured before heading inside. The department also put out additional traffic and parking guidance to help handle the crowd, a reminder that a major SEC night at home can turn messy even before the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's Passing Surge Is Making One SEC Program Look Wrong
When Kentucky went looking for help in the passing game, Kenny Darby fit the kind of profile that can change a room quickly: a freshman receiver with SEC-level upside who had already been through a recruiting detour before landing in Lexington. Darby originally committed to LSU, but the new coaching staff did not keep him in the fold after Lane Kiffins arrival. Once Will Stein brought Joe Sloan aboard as offensive coordinator, Darby flipped to Kentucky and has wasted little time turning opportunity into production.
Through five games, Darby has become Kentuckys leading receiver, and the pace he is on has the Wildcats watching their freshman record book with real interest. He is tracking toward several program marks for a first-year pass catcher, which only sharpens the sense that Kentucky may have found more than a useful addition. For LSU, it is another reminder that roster turnover can come with a cost, and for Kentucky it is a sign the passing game is beginning to find a player who can grow into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]