Oct. 18, 2012

SEC Schedule Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2013 football schedule has been released by the Southeastern Conference and the Kentucky Wildcats will face an engaging slate of opponents in Commonwealth Stadium.

Kentucky has one of the nation’s most attractive home schedules in 2013 as the Wildcats will play host to Miami (Ohio), Louisville, Florida, Alabama, Alabama State, Missouri and Tennessee.

The season opens Saturday, August 31, against Western Kentucky University.  The game will be played in Nashville, Tenn., at LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans. That game will mark the sixth time since 2006 that the Wildcats have played in an NFL stadium.  UK also played at LP Field in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Music City Bowls, along with the 2011 season opener vs. WKU.  In addition, UK began the 2009 campaign in an NFL venue when the Cats played Miami (Ohio) in Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium.

Following the lidlifter in Nashville, Kentucky has the home opener vs. Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 7, the first meeting between the teams since the ’09 game in Cincinnati.  On Sept. 14, the Wildcats are at home for the annual Governor’s Cup contest vs. Louisville.  

With 14 playing weekends in the 2013 season, UK will have two open dates which are nicely spaced in the schedule.  The first open date arrives Sept. 21.

Kentucky kicks off SEC play at home against Florida on Sept. 28, then travel to South Carolina.  On Oct. 12, Alabama will make its first visit to Lexington since 2009.

After the second open date on Oct. 19, UK begins the second half of the campaign Oct. 26 at Mississippi State.  Kentucky starts November at home against a first-time opponent, Alabama State, followed by Missouri’s first visit to Lexington as a member of the SEC.  The Wildcats make their second trip of the season to Nashville on Nov. 16 at Vanderbilt. The last road game will be “between the hedges” at Georgia on Nov. 23.  The traditional regular-season finale vs. Tennessee is at home Nov. 30.

Additional notes from the SEC announcement include:
•    Game dates are subject to change based on television selections.
•    The 2013 schedule is considered a “bridge” schedule and is not based on previous or future scheduling formats.  The league plans to finalize the permanent rotation of cross-division opponents beginning with the 2014 season.

Here is the week-by-week listing of Kentucky’s 2013 schedule.  Dates are subject to change.