Will Stein’s first game as Kentucky’s head coach arrives with the kind of setup that usually leaves little room for drama: a home opener against FCS Youngstown State, a roster full of new faces, and an Alabama game waiting right around the corner. The expectation is obvious. The bigger question is how sharp the Wildcats look while trying to keep a few things tucked away before next week.
Stein made clear this week that the Penguins are not just another warmup. The biggest reason is Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard, who turned down the transfer carousel and returned after winning the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy last year. Stein didn’t sound like a coach looking past him.
“He would start at 99% of Power Four spots,” UK coach Will Stein said. “I’m telling you, this guy’s really good.”
Brungard brings a real headache to the table. He’s undersized, but Stein said his stocky build helps him play bigger than he looks, and the production backs it up: 1,468 rushing yards and 3,234 passing yards last season.
In Youngstown State’s 2026 opener against Mercyhurst, he threw for 232 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding 119 rushing yards and two more scores on 21 carries. No other Youngstown State player had more than five carries in that game.
Safeties coach Josh Christian-Young pushed back on the idea that Brungard is just a product of the system.
“He makes plays, and he’s a guy that if he gets in the open field; you gotta get on your horse,” Christian-Young said. “You gotta go track him.
“He does a good job of throwing deep balls. He does a good job of throwing balls over the middle. And then man, when he gets in the open field, you gotta take great angles to get him down because he is a dynamic player.”
Brungard has also shown he can handle an FBS defense. In Youngstown State’s only game against an FBS opponent last season, he completed 24 of 34 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against Michigan State, though he was held to 17 rushing yards on 14 carries in the loss.
For Kentucky, that makes this more than a simple opener. New defensive coordinator Jay Bateman is known for an aggressive approach, and there’s some obvious temptation to keep the more complicated pieces of that system off film before Alabama. But Stein made it clear the Wildcats can’t treat Brungard like an ordinary quarterback.
“You have to contain Brungard,” Stein said. “You have to.
He is a game wrecker. A lot of times you see game wreckers at edge or at receiver or whatever.
This is the quarterback. Their best player is their quarterback.
So, we have to do a great job with containing him and not letting him go be really dynamic on the edge.”
Even with that challenge, Kentucky needs this game to look the part. The Wildcats have never lost to an FCS team since beginning annual games against that level in 2002, and most of those matchups have been comfortable. There were a couple of tense ones in the Mark Stoops era - an overtime win over Eastern Kentucky in 2015 and a five-point escape against Chattanooga in 2018 - but the trend has generally been one-sided.
The bar is higher now because Stein was hired to bring fireworks to Lexington. A sloppy, sluggish opener would do little to sell that promise, especially with Alabama and Texas A&M - both 2025 playoff teams - next on the schedule. With the SEC moving to nine conference games, Saturday also stands out as one of the few chances for Kentucky to get meaningful reps for players farther down the depth chart.
“Ultimately, it’s about us,” Stein said. “It’s about us playing clean. It’s about playing to our standard, what we’ve created here over the last eight months.”
The injury picture is still a little cloudy, even if the list has improved. Of the five players Stein identified as limited when camp opened - wide receiver Nic Anderson, running back Jovantae Barnes, nickel back Jaden Smith, outside linebacker Sam Greene and offensive guard Tegra Tshabola - all but Barnes have returned to action. Stein said Tuesday that Greene, who is working back from a torn ACL suffered in November, has been fully cleared for the opener.
Barnes remains out, so Jason Patterson and Martels Carter are expected to see more work behind starter CJ Baxter. Carter’s role is especially worth watching since this will be his first game after moving from safety.
There is no public availability report this week because Kentucky is not playing an SEC game, which means any additional absences could surface only in pregame warmups. Kentucky Sports Radio reported earlier this week that kicker Jacob Kauwe will be out, though UK coaches have already described the kicking competition as open between Kauwe and South Florida transfer Adam Zouagui during camp.
The guess here is that Kentucky’s talent advantage shows quickly and that the Wildcats can afford to keep a few things under wraps while still leaving a strong first impression. If Stein’s offense is going to sell the fan base on what comes next, this is the kind of afternoon where it should at least flash.
Big days from Kenny Minchey and Baxter would do the job, and Kentucky should have enough to pull away. Kentucky 42, Youngstown State 21.
“When the hay is in the barn, when we got the plan done, I feel really good. I’m going to be in the hotel too, which is nice.
I got a 2-year-old and an almost 4-year-old, so I won’t be getting woken up. … I’m going to have not interrupted sleep, which will be good.
But, we’ll be jacked up for sure.” - Will Stein on if he will sleep Friday night
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