Kentucky enters Week 4 with a different kind of test in front of it.
The Wildcats are coming off a 31-21 road upset of then-No. 9 Texas A&M last Saturday in College Station, a response that followed a 45-17 home loss to then-No.
12 Alabama two weeks ago. Now Will Stein’s team gets South Alabama at Kroger Field on Saturday, with kickoff set for 12:45 p.m.
EDT and the SEC Network carrying the game.
Around the country, a few familiar names with Kentucky ties are in the spotlight again.
The biggest one belongs to Jon Sumrall, who takes No. 21 Florida into its first major home game of his coaching tenure.
The Gators, 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC, host Heisman Trophy candidate Trinidad Chambliss and No. 4 Ole Miss, also 3-0 and 1-0, at 3:30 p.m.
EDT Saturday on ABC. Sumrall, the former Kentucky linebacker and assistant coach, will be going after his first win over a ranked opponent as Florida’s head coach.
Gerad Parker and Troy are back on the road after putting up a fight in a 27-17 loss at then-No. 20 Missouri.
The former UK wide receiver and graduate assistant will take the Trojans, now 2-1, to Utah State on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. EDT kickoff on CBS Sports Network.
Neal Brown’s North Texas team is also trying to bounce back after a 49-35 loss at Texas State. The former Kentucky wide receiver and offensive coordinator will coach the Mean Green, now 1-2, against FCS opponent Houston Christian on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN+.
There are also several former Wildcats on the field this weekend.
Shamar Porter has been a bright spot for Connecticut, with six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. The former UK wideout has scored a TD in two straight games, and UConn, now 2-1, will face Miami (Ohio) at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday on ESPN+.
Utah cornerback Elijah Reed has logged seven tackles and four passes successfully defended for the No. 15 Utes, who are 3-0 and open Big 12 play at Iowa State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
EDT on FOX. Reed made one tackle for Kentucky in 2023.
La’Vell Wright helped Pittsburgh last week by running 14 times for 81 yards and a touchdown in a 27-13 win over Syracuse. The former North Hardin standout, who played at Kentucky from 2021 through 2023, will be back in action when Pitt, 3-0 and 1-0 in the ACC, hosts Bucknell at noon EDT Saturday on ACCNX.
Elsewhere in the SEC, No. 14 Tennessee opens league play against top-ranked Texas at noon EDT Saturday in Neyland Stadium, with ABC televising the matchup.
No. 16 Louisville, fresh off a 41-31 win over then-No.
16 SMU, returns home to face Wake Forest at noon EDT on ESPN.
Three other national games stand out on the board. Oklahoma, 2-1, takes an offense that has managed 24 total points over its last two games to Athens for a meeting with No.
2 Georgia at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday on ESPN.
No. 17 Iowa visits No.
18 Michigan in a Big Ten opener at 3:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.
And No. 23 Texas A&M and No.
10 LSU, both 2-1 and both coming off losses, meet Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ABC.
The Aggies were upset at home by Kentucky, 31-21, while LSU dropped a 42-34 decision at Ole Miss in the “Lane Kiffin Bowl.”
The Kentucky schools outside Lexington have plenty going on, too.
Western Kentucky is finally at home after road losses at Nevada, No. 2 Georgia and No.
5 Indiana. The Hilltoppers, now 0-3, host FCS foe Mercyhurst in their home opener Saturday at 7 p.m., with ESPN+ streaming the game.
Murray State, 1-3, begins Missouri Valley Football Conference play at home against Illinois State at 7 p.m. EDT Saturday on ESPN+.
Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State are both off this week.
At the small-college level, Cumberlands, 4-0, heads to Florida to face No. 1 Keiser on Saturday at 3 p.m.
EDT. No.
12 Lindsey Wilson, 3-1, plays at Union Commonwealth at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in an intrastate matchup that will stream on YouTube.
And Kentucky State, 3-1 and 2-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, visits Albany State at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday in a battle of Division II teams with perfect conference records; that one will stream on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Kentucky Fans Have Plenty To Debate About This Kansas Showdown
The annual Champions Classic will again put Kentucky in a high-profile early-season spot, and this years meeting with Kansas now has a formal landing point. The Wildcats and Jayhawks are scheduled to tip off Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago, with ESPN carrying the nightcap after Duke and Michigan State open the doubleheader at 7:00 p.m. ET.
For Kentucky fans, the announcement adds another circled date to a matchup that always brings plenty of conversation before anyone even reaches the opening tip. Presale tickets for the event are already available through Ticketmaster with the code WILDCATS, giving supporters a chance to lock in seats for one of the seasons most watched stages before the full picture around the game really starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Karl-Anthony Towns Suddenly Has A Knicks Decision Kentucky Fans Should Watch
Karl-Anthony Towns turned in a strong first season with the Knicks, capping it with an NBA championship and a third straight All-Star nod. For Kentucky fans, that kind of year is still a point of pride, especially with Towns continuing to look like one of the leagues most accomplished frontcourt stars after his days in Lexington.
The wrinkle is what comes next. Contract extension talks between Towns and New York have reportedly stalled, with the Knicks seeking a significant pay cut while sorting through multiple deals on the roster. With owner James Dolan reportedly wary of pushing too far beyond the salary cap, Towns suddenly sits at the center of a decision that could shape the Knicks' offseason and keep Wildcats fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Has One Trap To Avoid After That Texas A&M Win
Fresh off the kind of win that can make a September feel bigger than it is, Kentucky comes home to Kroger Field on Saturday with a chance to keep its momentum rolling. The Wildcats will face South Alabama in a 12:45 p.m. ET kickoff on SEC Network, and the setting is exactly the sort that can test a team coming off an emotional high. Kentucky is trying to move to 3-1 and stay on track after taking down Texas A&M.
The danger is obvious enough: this is the sort of game where the favorite can spend more time fighting itself than the opponent. South Alabama arrives at 2-1 under Major Applewhite and has some uncertainty at quarterback, with Bishop Davenport dealing with a minor injury and Jared Hollins also in the mix. Kentucky is still favored by three touchdowns, but the challenge after a breakthrough win is keeping the same edge when the matchup on paper says it should be comfortable. [Read more 🡒]