Kentucky-South Alabama Postgame Notes

SOUTH ALABAMA AT KENTUCKY
SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
KROGER FIELD AT C.M. NEWTON GROUNDS, LEXINGTON, KY

FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 45, South Alabama 21

Team Records and Series Information

• Kentucky is 3-1 overall and South Alabama is 2-2.
• This was the first meeting between the teams in football.

Next Game

• On Oct. 3, Kentucky begins a seven-game Southeastern Conference stretch when the Wildcats take on South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium. Game time is 4:15 p.m. and it will be televised on the SEC Network.

Team Notes

• Kentucky’s 3-1 record is the Wildcats’ best start since the 2023 squad opened 5-0.
• Trailing 21-14 with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter, Kentucky scored 17 points in the next three minutes and nine seconds,
  • On the first play of a possession, Jason Patterson raced 75 yards for a TD.
  • On South Alabama’s first offensive play following the kickoff, a deflection by Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace was caught by Grant Godfrey for an interception. That set up a UK field goal with 16 seconds left in the half.
  • Kentucky took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in four plays, capped by a 15-yard run by Patterson with 13:13 to go in the third quarter.
• Kentucky’s 390 rushing yards are the most in one game since 408 vs. Ole Miss in 2020.
• Kentucky averaged 9.3 yards per rushing attempt, with 390 yards on 42 carries. It is the highest per-attempt since 2019 vs. Louisville, when the Wildcats averaged 12.9 yards per carry.
• This was the second time in school history that Kentucky had three players rush for at least 100 yards in a game. The previous time was 2020 vs. Ole Miss when Chris Rodriguez (133 yards), Terry Wilson (129) and A.J. Rose (114) did so.
  • UK had two players rush for at least 137 yards today, first time that has happened since 2016 at Missouri (Benny Snell and Stanley “Boom” Williams).
• UK had three players rush for touchdowns, first time since the 2025 season opener vs. Toledo.
• Kentucky scored 45 points, most vs. an FBS opponent since a 45-28 win at Vanderbilt in 2023.
• Kentucky had 567 yards total offense, most vs. an FBS opponent since 2021 vs. New Mexico State (707 yards).
• Kentucky has scored 31 points in three of the first four games, first time since 2023.
  • Will Stein is the first head coach in Kentucky history to accomplish this feat in his first season.
• Stein is the first coach in Kentucky history to have 500 yards total offense in two of his first four games since Hal Mumme did so in 1997.
• Kentucky tight ends combined for another productive game, totaling seven catches for 65 yards.
  • UK tight ends have totaled 31 receptions this season, most in the first four games of a season since the tight ends caught 38 in the first four games of 2000.
• Kentucky averaged 8.3 yards per play today and in the season opener vs. Youngstown State, first time UK has averaged at least eight yards per play twice in the first four games since 2016.

Player Notes

• QB Kenny Minchey completed 19 of 25 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown.
• RB J. Baxter rushed 16 times for a career-high 149 yards and a touchdown. His previous best 117 yards at Iowa State in 2023, the only other 100-yard game of his career.
  • He opened the scoring with a three-yard run in the first quarter.
  • He had a 53-yard jaunt in the first possession of the third quarter, setting up a touchdown that gave the Wildcats a two-possession advantage they never relinquished.
  • The 53-yard run is only one yard shy of his career long.
• RB Jason Patterson carried 12 times for a career-high 137 yards and a career-best three touchdowns.
  • With 1:12 remaining in the first half, he made the play that was the hinge of the game – a career-long 75-yard touchdown burst, tying the score after the Wildcats had fallen behind 21-14.
  • Also scored on runs of 15 and 2 yards.
  • First UK player with at least 137 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns since Ray Davis had 280 yards and three touchdowns vs. Florida in 2023.
  • He averaged 11.4 yards per carry, highest in one game for a Wildcat (min. 10 carries) since A.J. Rose averaged 12.3 yards per carry vs. North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl following the 2020 season.
• RB Jovantae Barnes rushed eight times for 100 yards and a touchdown, averaging 12.5 yards per attempt.
  • The touchdown run showed great determination. From the seven-yard line, he appeared to be stopped at the line of scrimmage, then bounced off to his right and powered through tacklers to the end zone.
  • It is his fourth 100-yard game of his career, his first at Kentucky.
• TE Henry Boyer had a career-best three catches, good for 24 yards.
• WR Kenny Darby tied Boyer for leading the team with three receptions for 43 yards.
• WR Shane Carr had his first receptions as a Wildcat. He caught two passes for 22 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown for his first score at UK.
• LB Alex Afari led UK in tackles with nine stops and added a quarterback hurry.
• LB Grant Godfrey had eight tackles and his first career interception, setting up a field goal late in the second quarter.
• DE Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace had a productive day, totaling four tackles, 1.5 quarterback sacks (-6 yards), one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
• Star Aaron Gates made one tackle – good for a one-yard loss – and had a career-high three pass breakups.
• K Adam Zouagui had a perfect day, making a 34-yard field goal, all six extra points and launching touchbacks on all eight kickoffs.

First Starts

• NG Kalen Edwards

Game Captains

• DB Hasaan Sykes, DE Tyler Thomas, OL Tegra Tshabola, WR DJ Miller

Honorary Captains

• Linebacker Wilbur Hackett was one of the pioneers of integration in the Southeastern Conference. He played for the Kentucky freshman team in 1967, then lettered for the Wildcat varsity in 1968-70.  He became the first African-American team captain in SEC history in 1969.
• Running back JoJo Kemp rushed for 1,709 yards and 19 touchdowns from 2013-16. Known for his enthusiasm and effort, He arrived in Coach Mark Stoops’ first season and helped Stoops build the program from 2 wins, to 5, to 5, to 7 wins and a bowl appearance during his senior season.