Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. South Alabama
Info to Know
| Kentucky vs. South Alabama | When: Sat., Sept. 26, 12:45 p.m. ET | Where: Kroger Field, Lexington, Ky. | TV: SEC Network | Radio: UK Sports Network |
Preview
A week after beating a Top-10 team on the road, Kentucky returns to Kroger Field to face South Alabama on Saturday (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
The Cats (2-1) beat No. 9 Texas A&M 31-21 in College Station last Saturday. Kenny Minchey passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while C.J. Baxter rushed for 87 yards and a pair of scores.
South Alabama (2-1) beat Ohio University 41-36 on Saturday in Mobile. The Jaguars’ loss came at Tulane on Sept. 12.
This will be the first football meeting between Kentucky and South Alabama.
Cat Scratches: Stein, Cats Moving Forward After Big Win at Texas A&M
Kentucky earned a huge road win on Saturday, beating then-ninth-ranked Texas A&M 31-21 at Kyle Field in College Station. On Tuesday, UK head coach Will Stein met the media and he discussed just how important getting that road win was to his program.
“It’s really hard to get road wins, no matter what league you’re in,” Stein said. “So that was really big to get (the win) on the road.”
Stein knows that his team’s preparation for Saturday’s game is what directly led to the performance on the field.
“Direct correlation with how we practice,” Stein said. “There’s no fluke about it. We practice hard, we play hard. Practice physical, play physical. Make plays in practice, make plays in the game.”
While he was pleased with Saturday’s outcome, Stein and his coaching staff know there are still lots of areas where the Cats can get better…Read More
Kentucky-South Alabama Series
• Flying high after a top-10 victory on the road at Texas A&M, Kentucky must refocus as the Wildcats host South Alabama.
• Former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite is in his sixth season at South Alabama, his third as head coach, and has the Jaguars off to a 2-1 start in 2026.
• The Jaguars are averaging more than 200 yards rushing and passing per game.
• USA leads the nation in average time of possession at more than 38 minutes per game.
• The two teams have never met on the gridiron
By the Numbers
0
Times Kentucky and South Alabama have played football against each other
1
Will Stein is the first UK coach to win a true road game vs. an AP Top-10 team in his first season as coach in school history
3
Nation-leading road wins over AP Top-10 opponents since 2023
5
Tackles needed for Alex Afari to reach 200 career tackles
79
Yards receiving needed for Nic Anderson to reach 1,000 career receiving yards
