Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Toledo
Info to Know
| Kentucky vs. Toledo | When: Sat., Aug. 30, 12:45 ET | Where: Kroger Field, Lexington, Ky. | TV: SEC Network | Radio: UK Sports Network |
Preview
Kentucky opens its 2025 regular season on Saturday, hosting Toledo at Kroger Field. Kickoff is set for 12:45 ET and the game can be seen on the SEC Network.
The Cats finished last season with a 4-8 record. During the offseason, UK brought in transfer quarterback Zach Calzada, who earned the starting job during fall camp. Kentucky will have several transfers playing key roles this season.
Toledo went 8-5 last year, including a win at Mississippi State and a six-overtime win over Pittsburgh in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
Cat Scratches: Calzada ‘Excited’ to Be Starting Season Opener
On Monday, Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops announced that Zach Calzada would be the team’s starting quarterback in Saturday’s season opener against Toledo. On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan and Calzada spoke to the media for the first time since the announcement.
When Hamdan and the UK staff were recruiting Calzada out of the transfer portal, they liked what they saw.
“There’s always a human element to it. I think he’s got a contagious personality,” Hamdan said. “When you go through this process in the transfer portal, it’s three, four days and you’re making a critical decision on somebody. There’s a lot of people rooting for him. He’s a guy who’s willing to put in the work. He’s a guy that wants to be around everybody, that wants to bring people together and I think we’re fortunate in that regard from the leadership standpoint. We think he has a lot of those qualities.”
Hamdan knows that it will be important to play within the system while taking chances when they present themselves…Read More
KENTUCKY-TOLEDO
The Series
• Kentucky leads Toledo, 1-0, in the all-time series after defeating the Rockets, 38-24, on Aug. 31, 2019, at Kroger Field.
• It marked both teams’ season openers.
• Like this season, Toledo also was the Mid-American Conference preseason favorite in 2019.
• UK is 34-9-1 all-time vs. teams from the MAC. UK has won seven in a row vs. MAC
teams, dating back to 2004.
In The Last Meeting
• Terry Wilson threw two touchdown passes, Asim “A.J.” Rose and Kavosiey Smoke each ran for TDs and Kentucky overcame Toledo to pull away 38-24 on in the season opener for both schools.
• The Wildcats rallied twice against the Rockets to enter the break tied at 14 before taking control in the second half. A third-quarter fumble recovery led to Chance Poore’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal before Bryce Oliver’s leaping grab of Wilson’s 32-yard TD pass provided a 10-point lead.
• Smoke’s 40-yard TD run down the left side midway through the fourth made it 31-17.
Kentucky then converted DeAndre Square’s interception into Wilson’s 2-yard TD pass to Josh Ali to clinch the first meeting between the schools.
The Connections
• Toledo has two Kentucky transfers on its team, including running backs Chip Trayanum (2024) and Mike Drennen II (2021, 2022).
By the Numbers
1
Previous meeting between Kentucky and Toledo, a 38-24 UK win on Aug. 29, 2019 at Kroger Field
3
Consecutive seasons in which a Wildcat has returned a kickoff for a touchdown, tied with Florida State for the longest such streak9
17
Wildcats who have already earned a college degree
73
Career touchdown passes for UK quarterback Zach Calzada
419
Receiving yards needed by UK wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin to reach 2,000 receiving yards in his career
