Kentucky-LSU Postgame Notes

LSU AT KENTUCKY
OCTOBER 10, 2026
KROGER FIELD AT C.M. NEWTON GROUNDS

FINAL SCORE:  RV/25 Kentucky 35, No. 10 LSU 34 (OT)

Team Records and Series Information

• Kentucky is 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference. LSU is 4-2 overall, 2-2 in the league.
• LSU leads the series 40-17-1, including 16-13 in games played in Lexington.
  • NOTE: the series records do not include a 2021 Kentucky win in Lexington, later vacated by the NCAA.

Next Game

• Kentucky makes its first visit to Oklahoma since 1980 when the Wildcats visit the Sooners on Saturday, Oct. 17. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT in Norman) and it will be televised on the SEC Network.

What the Win Means for the Wildcats

• Kentucky’s 5-1 record is the Wildcats’ best start since the 2023 squad opened 5-1.
• Kentucky’s 3-1 SEC record is the Wildcats’ best league start since the 2021 team began 4-0. (Note: the 2021 wins were later vacated by the NCAA. The last official 3-1 SEC start was the 2018 season.)
• Will Stein is the first UK head coach to be 5-1 in his first season since Alpha Brumage in 1913.
  • Stein is the first coach in UK history to begin 3-1 in SEC play in his first season (SEC football began in 1933).
• Kentucky has two wins this season vs. Associated Press top-10 teams, also at #9 Texas A&M.
  • It is the fourth time in school history that has been accomplished, also 1947 vs. #9 Georgia and at #10 Vanderbilt, along with 1964 at #1 Ole Miss and vs. #7 Auburn, and 2007 vs. #9 Louisville and #1 LSU.
• Kentucky is 4-3 vs. AP top-10 teams since Nov. 25, 2023.
  • This marks the first time since the 2023 season the Wildcats have multiple AP top-25 victories in a single season.
• It is Kentucky’s first home win vs. an AP top-10 opponent since the victory over #10 Florida in 2021. (Note: the win was later vacated by the NCAA.  The last official home win over an AP top-10 team was over #10 South Carolina in 2010.)

Team Notes

• Deja Blue …
  • Tonight and the South Carolina game were the first back-to-back overtime games in school history
  • In both games, Kentucky wins in the first overtime
  • In both games, Kentucky wins the toss, plays defense first, and wins by the same score, 35-34, when the Wildcats score a touchdown and two-point conversion
• Kentucky is now 5-9 all-time in overtime games, including 2-0 vs. LSU, also a 43-37 three-overtime win in Commonwealth Stadium in 2007.
• This is the first time Kentucky has won consecutive games by the same score since defeating Morris-Harvey and Miami (Ohio) by 12-0 scores in 1911.
• Will Stein becomes the first coach in school history to defeat two ranked opponents in his first season.
• Kentucky scored 35 points and had 401 yards total offense against a defense that entered the game allowing just 15.2 points and 220.6 yards per game.
  • 35 points is the most against an AP top-10 team at home since 2007 vs. LSU (43 points).
• First time with at least 400 yards total offense against two AP top-10 teams since 1997.
• The Kentucky defense allowed 34 points and 410 yards total offense, significantly below the 43.6 points and 547.8 yards LSU was averaging entering the game.
  • Kentucky allowed 94 net rushing yards tonight, fewest against an AP top-10 team at home since 2010 vs. South Carolina.
• Kentucky has scored at least 31 points in five of the first six games, first time since 2007.
  • Will Stein is the first head coach in Kentucky history to accomplish this feat in his first season.
• First time scoring at least 31 points vs. two AP top-10 teams since 2010.
• Kentucky scored a touchdown on its first possession of the game, second time this season, also in the season opener vs. Youngstown State.
• Kentucky’s 21 first half points are the most against an AP top-10 opponent since scoring 24 against No. 5 Georgia in 2002.
• Once again, Kentucky won the “middle eight.” With a touchdown on the final play of the first half, UK won the middle-eight segment 7-0.
• The Kentucky defense has been proficient coming out of halftime, as the Wildcats have not allowed a point on opponents’ first possession of the second half this season.
  • Kentucky has yielded an average of 4.0 yards on those possessions (24 total yards).
  • Tonight, the Wildcats claimed an interception on LSU’s first offensive play of the third quarter.
• Kentucky forced two turnovers tonight (UK had none) and now is +7 on the season.
• Kentucky tight ends combined for another productive game, totaling seven catches for 29 yards.
  • UK tight ends have totaled 44 receptions this season, most in the first six games of a season since the tight ends caught 48 in the first six games of 2000.
• First time Kentucky had a run of at least 75 yards and a punt return for touchdown in the same game since 1987 vs. Utah State.

Player Notes

• QB Kenny Minchey completed 23 of 36 passes for 246 yards.
  • He rushed six times for 18 yards on non-sack plays, including one touchdown and the game-winning two-point play – a quarterback draw – in overtime.
  • UK ended the first half with a 75-yard drive, taking the final 6:11 off the clock, capped by Minchey’s fourth-and-goal 1-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown. It marked his first career rushing TD.
  • He has 178 pass attempts this season with only one interception, most beginning a season since Maxwell Smith in 2013 (183 attempts, one INT).
• RB J. Baxter rushed 19 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
  • He scored Kentucky’s overtime touchdown, preceding Minchey’s game-winning run.
  • On UK’s first offensive play, he burst up the middle for a 77-yard run, setting up his own three-yard touchdown run on the next play.
  • His 77-yard run is longest against an AP top-10 team in school history and also the longest against LSU in school history.
  • He is the first Wildcat with at least 123 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against an AP top-10 opponent since Moe Williams vs. Tennessee in 1995.
  • He has rushed for a touchdown in five of six games this season.
  • He now has three career 100-yard rushing games and two this season, including two of the past three games (also South Alabama).
• TE Willie Rodriguez led the Wildcats in receptions, catching six for 25 yards.
  • His six receptions are the most for a UK tight end vs. an AP top-10 team since Jacob Tamme caught six at Georgia in 2007.
  • He has a reception in 17 of the past 18 games.
• WR Kenny Darby caught four passes for 79 yards, including two crucial receptions late in the game.
  • With Kentucky trailing 27-24 on its last possession, Darby caught a 19-yard pass that carried to the LSU 23-yard line. Four plays later, Adam Zouagui parked the 33-yard field goal that sent the game to overtime.
  • In the overtime, on 3^rd-and-8 from the 23-yard line, Darby caught a short pass at the 19-yard line, veered to the middle to get the first down, then dragged a horde of tacklers all the way to the one-yard line. All totaled it was a 22-yard play that set up C.J. Baxter’s one-yard touchdown.
  • His 79 receiving yards are the most for a Kentucky true freshman vs. an AP top-10 team since Barion Brown had 145 vs. Georgia in 2022.
• In the second quarter, WR Brock Coffman returned a punt 55 yards for his first collegiate touchdown.
  • It is Kentucky’s first punt return for a touchdown since 2021, when Josh Ali had a 74-yard jaunt at Mississippi State.
  • He is the first UK player with a punt return touchdown against an AP top-10 10 opponent since Derek Abney at No. 7 Florida in 2002.
• LB Bo Barnes led the Wildcats with a career-high 12 tackles.
  • He also had 2.5 tackles for loss for -4 yards.
• LB Grant Godfrey had 10 tackles, the second double-figure tackling game of his career, and was credited with two quarterback hurries.
• LB Sam Greene was a big-play performer again tonight with five tackles, including 1.5 quarterback sacks (-15 yards).
• NG Jamarrion “Chops” Harkless tied career highs for tackles (three) and quarterback sacks (1.5). He also had the first caused fumble of his career and had a QB hurry.
• DB Ty Bryant had six tackles plus an interception.
  • It is his first pickoff of the season and sixth of his career.
• K Adam Zouagui made 2-of-4 field goals, including the clutch 33-yarder that sent the game to overtime.
• P Wilson Berry saw his first punting action since the 2024 season, punting three times for a 40.3 yard average, including one inside the 20-yard line.

Game Captains

• LB Grant Godfrey, OT Lance Heard, DE Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace, QB Kenny Minchey