Kentucky’s preseason tune-up is finally here, and Big Blue Nation won’t have to wait long to get a first real read on Mark Pope’s second Wildcats team.
UK has three exhibition games lined up at Rupp Arena before the regular season begins in early November, giving fans a chance to see how the roster comes together against outside competition. The middle game, a matchup with Texas Tech, stands out as the most intriguing test on the schedule, but the bigger storyline is how the group meshes overall.
That starts with the return of homegrown talent Malachi Moreno and extends to a transfer-heavy mix that includes Milan Momcilovic of Iowa State, Zoom Diallo of Washington and Alex Wilkins of Furman, plus international big man Ousmane N’Diaye. Those newcomers will be a major part of the conversation as Kentucky takes its first steps into preseason play.
The Wildcats were picked seventh in the SEC preseason coaches poll, a spot that frames them as a team in the NCAA Tournament picture but not yet among the league’s elite. That perception will have plenty of time to shift, but October will offer the first on-court snapshot of what this group can become.
Fans can watch all three exhibitions. The first two will stream on SEC Network+, available through the ESPN app. The finale against UCF will air on SEC Network and can also be streamed through Fubo.
Kentucky’s exhibition schedule:
- Friday, Oct. 16 vs.
Little Rock, 7 p.m. ET - SECN+
- Friday, Oct. 23 vs. Texas Tech, 7 p.m.
ET - SECN+
- Wednesday, Oct. 28 vs.
UCF, 6 p.m. ET - SECN, ESPN app, Fubo
After the exhibitions, Kentucky opens the regular season at home against Manhattan on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
The Wildcats’ first five regular-season games are:
- Nov. 3 vs.
Manhattan, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 6 vs.
James Madison, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 10 vs.
Kansas*, 9:30 p.m.
- Nov. 13 vs.
Northern Arizona, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 16 vs.
Grambling State, 7 p.m.
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Kentucky Faces A Tougher Oklahoma Test Than Fans May Expect
Kentuckys trip to Oklahoma sits in the middle of a crowded week of college football picks, but it stands out because this is the kind of game where the familiar SEC script can get upended in a hurry. The matchup comes with plenty of recent trend-watching attached, along with the sort of player and performance notes that shape how these predictions get made, and it gives the Wildcats a chance to show they can handle a road test that looks tougher on paper than some fans may have expected.
Oklahoma brings the sort of profile that can punish a team if it starts slowly, and that is why this one has drawn more attention than a routine conference preview. Kentuckys outlook is tied to whether it can match the Sooners tempo and avoid the kind of mistakes that tend to decide games like this, which is also what makes the prediction angle so interesting: the gap between what people think and what actually happens could be smaller than it appears. [Read more 🡒]
Lance Heard Is Giving Kentucky's Offense Something Few Tackles Can
Lance Heard has quickly become one of the more versatile pieces in Kentuckys offense, and that matters for a team looking for every edge up front. The left tackle has not allowed a sack through the first six games, but his impact has gone well beyond pass protection. Kentucky has found ways to use his size and movement skills in space, including a highlight-reel sweep against South Carolina, and the results have given the Wildcats something few offenses can say they have from the tackle spot.
His coaches have also been creative with how they deploy him, at times lining him up as a lead blocker in the backfield, a role Heard has clearly embraced. He was again part of the story in Kentuckys recent overtime win against LSU, adding another layer to a season that has already shown how valuable he can be when the Wildcats ask him to do more than the usual left tackle job. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's Linebacker Situation Just Took Another Unexpected Turn
Kentuckys inside linebacker picture got a little clearer, at least for the moment, when Alex Afari was granted eligibility to play by a temporary injunction from Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards. The ruling comes amid a lawsuit challenging how the NCAA is applying its new five-year eligibility rules to players who graduated high school in 2022, and it adds another twist to a situation that has already moved through multiple legal decisions.
For Kentucky, the timing matters because Afaris status directly affects a depth chart that has been under pressure at inside linebacker. His return gives the Wildcats another option in a spot where every available body counts, even as the larger eligibility fight continues to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]