Kentucky’s biggest problem heading into Saturday’s matchup with No. 10 LSU may not be the opponent across the field. It may be the injury report.
Will Stein didn’t spell out names or timelines, but he made it clear the Wildcats are dealing with a stretch of injuries that could leave several players questionable for the game, with some potentially unavailable.
“We’ve dealt with some injuries as of late that aren’t, hopefully, season-ending, but that will show up on the injury report tomorrow as definitely questionable for this next game, with the potential, too, to be out.”
The timing is rough for a Kentucky team that already entered the week short-handed. On the final SEC Availability Report before the South Carolina game, seven players were listed as out, including wide receiver DJ Miller and linebackers Tavion Wallace and Alex Afari.
Defensive back Aaron Gates was scratched late, and running back Jason Patterson, linebacker Antwan Smith, and defensive back Jaden Smith all exited with injuries. Jaden Smith’s issue appeared to be the most serious, with his knee buckling as he chased LaNorris Sellers.
The most glaring damage has come at inside linebacker, where Kentucky is suddenly stretched razor-thin. Wallace hasn’t played since the South Alabama game, while Afari is now ineligible after the Kentucky Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA in his bid for a fifth year of eligibility.
A hearing set for Oct. 14 could change that, but he’s out this week regardless. Antwan Smith stepped in for Wallace and Afari against South Carolina, only to get hurt himself.
Stein didn’t sugarcoat how bare the room looks now.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s thin,” Stein said. “There’s no doubt about it.
I mean, Grant [Godfrey] battled, Bo [Barnes] battled. Shoot, we put Devin Smith in on the last play.
The first play was a pop pass right over his head in overtime.
“So, yeah, it’s scary. There’s no doubt about it. And so we’re practicing other people, you know, guys that are down the line because there’s really nobody left, and we’ve got to find a way.”
That shortage has forced Kentucky’s starters to carry a heavy load. Against South Carolina, six defensive players logged 70 or more snaps: Grant Godfrey, Hassan Sykes, Terhyon Nichols, Ty Bryant, Jordan Castell, and Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace. Bo Barnes was right behind them at 68.
Asked whether that kind of workload can hold up, Stein pointed to the reality of the SEC and the way injuries can squeeze a roster fast.
“Is it sustainable? I don’t know. I mean, I played an Ohio State team two years ago that played pretty much the same guys the whole time, so I think it’s a lot of different factors in that.”
He also stressed that Kentucky has to keep building the roster so it can spread the snaps around more in the future.
“Winning those games in this league, man, you’ve got to play your best players,” he added. “So, we’ve got to continue to develop depth through high school recruiting, through another portal season coming up, and to build this roster so we can play more people, and our guys fight.
They scratch, they claw, you know. Very proud of that, but it is beneficial to have more bodies, specifically up front.”
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Kentuckys LSU Test Comes With Bigger Stakes Than Fans Realize
Kentuckys Week 6 meeting with LSU in 2026 already has the feel of a game that could tell a lot about where the Wildcats are headed. The Tigers are set to come to Lexington for Lane Kiffins third trip there in seven years, and they arrive with a roster that has been reshaped as much by the transfer portal as anything else. LSU added 41 players this offseason, a sign of just how much turnover the Tigers are trying to absorb after losing a number of key contributors.
For Kentucky, that makes the matchup more than just another SEC test. The Wildcats will be dealing with a team that looks different in a lot of places, but still carries the talent and speed that make LSU dangerous no matter who is running it out there. Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to be one of the more important new faces, and his presence only adds another layer to a game that already comes with plenty of intrigue for a Kentucky team measuring itself against the leagues upper tier. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Overtime Heroics Turned On One Play Fans Might Have Missed
Kentuckys overtime escape over South Carolina had plenty of moving parts, but one of the biggest plays came in a spot fans could have easily missed. On the decisive two-point try, CJ Baxter stepped up in protection and helped keep the play alive long enough for Kenny Minchey to find an open lane for the game-ending pass. It was the kind of small-but-crucial detail that can get buried under a wild finish, even though it helped decide a game the Wildcats had spent much of the day chasing.
Baxters value to Kentucky has gone well beyond that single snap. He leads the Wildcats in rushing yards and touchdowns this season, making him one of the teams most important offensive pieces even before the final sequence in overtime. For Kentucky, the finish only added to the appeal of a comeback that erased a 17-point first-half deficit and turned a tense afternoon into a 35-34 win. [Read more 🡒]