Kentucky is trying to avoid the kind of letdown that usually follows a win like last week’s, and South Alabama has made sure the Wildcats have had to sweat for every bit of it.
Seven days after Kentucky went into College Station and stunned Texas A&M in an SEC upset, the Wildcats came home for a Week 4 nonconference game and found themselves in a fight with the Sun Belt visitors. For much of Saturday afternoon, Will Stein’s team had trouble shaking off the hangover from that big road victory.
South Alabama pushed Kentucky early and kept the pressure on in the first half, with the Jaguars grabbing a 21-14 lead late in the second quarter. At that point, Kentucky was actually winning the yardage battle, 220-193, but the scoreboard belonged to the visitors.
The Wildcats answered quickly. Jason Patterson broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run just 10 seconds after South Alabama had taken the lead, pulling Kentucky level at 21-21 and giving the home crowd a jolt.
Kentucky still had work to do before halftime, and it found a little more momentum in the final minute. After an interception, the Wildcats moved ahead on a field goal with 16 seconds left in the half, taking a 24-21 lead into the locker room.
It was not the kind of smooth follow-up Kentucky wanted after such a major win a week earlier, but it did at least show a response after South Alabama had put the Wildcats in an uncomfortable spot.
In Other News...
Kentucky Earned SEC Respect With A Breakdown Fans Need To See
Cole Cubelics Sunday Takeaways have become a familiar stop for SEC fans looking for a sharper read on what just happened, and Kentucky was part of the conversation after a performance that clearly earned the leagues attention. The former Auburn center, now an SEC Network analyst, has made a niche out of detailed postgame breakdowns, often drilling down by jersey number and pairing the film notes with broader strategic observations.
For Kentucky fans, the appeal is obvious: Cubelics analysis offers a more exact view of where the Wildcats stood in a game like this, beyond the final score and the usual talking points. Since taking over the Sunday Takeaways from Anthony McFarland in 2018, he has built the segment into one of the SECs more useful weekly film sessions, and his latest look at Kentucky is the kind of breakdown supporters will want to see for themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Bringing Back A Beloved Game Day Feeling This Weekend
Kentuckys weekend at Kroger Field is shaping up to be as much about program tradition as the matchup itself. With BLUE-WHITE Day on the calendar and Hall of Fame weekend set to honor several former Wildcats, the school is leaning into the kind of game-day feel that reminds fans how much of the programs identity lives in its past as well as its present.
Wilbur Hackett and JoJo Kemp will serve as honorary captains for the South Alabama game, giving the day another familiar face from different eras of Kentucky football. Hackett, one of the first African American players in the SEC, also returned to campus to complete his degree in 2020, a fitting thread for a weekend built around recognition, continuity and the people who helped shape the program. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got The National Validation Wildcats Fans Wanted
Todd McShay gave Kentucky football a dose of national attention this week, and not the routine kind that gets buried under blue-blood chatter. On a recent episode of The McShay Show, he singled out offensive coordinator Will Stein as a reason the Wildcats have a real chance to surprise people, pointing to Steins track record with quarterbacks and the growing confidence on that side of the ball.
For Kentucky fans, it is the kind of outside validation they have been waiting for, especially in a sport where the Wildcats are usually asked to prove they belong before anyone starts talking about bigger goals. McShay went so far as to suggest Kentucky could make an unexpected run toward the College Football Playoff, a level of belief that instantly raises the stakes for how this season gets judged and puts a sharper spotlight on what Stein and the offense do next. [Read more 🡒]