The second installment of wild blind dart-throwing predictions takes us to the basketball school up north that really is not a basketball school anymore.
GAME 2, Sept 12: at KENTUCKY
Coach: For the first time since 2013, the Wildcats will have a new coach leading the football program. Before fleecing UK of over $3 million on his way out the door, AD Mitch Barnhart’s final major move was to hire 36-year old Will Stein. It is Stein’s first year as a head coach following three seasons as OC at Oregon. Previous to coaching, he played quarterback for hated rival Louisville. [Can you imagine Alabama ever hiring a former Auburn QB as head coach??]
2025 UK record: 5–7 (2–6 SEC, 11th in SEC)
UA-UK History: One of the most lopsided series in SEC history is Bama vs UK. The Crimson Tide has all-time record of 39-2-1 against the ‘Cats. The last Alabama loss was an overtime game in 1997 with Mike DuBose scuffling around the Tide sidelines (too soon?). Previous to that was a tie in 1939. The other loss was way back in 1922.
Looking Back: 2025 was the final nail in the coffin for Mark Stoops’s mediocrity after 13 seasons in Lexington. Not counting three cupcake games, the Wildcats went 2-7 last fall, including a humiliating 0–41 defeat at the hands of rival Louisville. Hilariously, the Wildcats did defeat Auburn in Jerdin-Hare Stadium. The other win came against Florida at home. The coaches of both those programs were subsequently fired as well.
Returning Starters: 1* on offense, 4** on defense, kicker
* TE Willie Rodriguez started seven of 12 games.
** CB Terhyon Nichols started six, missed the last five games with injury.
Key Losses: Head coach Mark Stoops (addition by subtraction?), G Jalen Farmer (4th Round, Colts), C Jager Burton (5th Round, Packers), WR Kendrick Law (5th Round, Lions), RB Seth McGowan (7th Round, Colts), G Joshua Braun (grad), DT David Gusta (grad), starting QB Cutter Boley (Arizona State), occasional starting QB Zach Calzada (grad), RB Dante Dowdell ridiculously on his 4th team in four years (Nebraska>Oregon>Kentucky>Georgia), P Aidan Laros (UDFA)
Top Returnees: Defensive line coach Anwar “Don’t Call Me Sadat” Stewart is the lone holdover from the fired coaching staff. Major returning players back from last season include the aforementioned TE Willie Rodriguez (22 rec, 310 yds, 1 TD), WR DJ Miller (13 rec, 175 yds, 2 TD), DL Tavion Gadson (2.5 sack), leading tackler S Ty Bryant (46 solo-30 asst, 4 INT), DL Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (3.5 sack), PK Jacob Kauwe.
Top Newcomers: Head coach Will Stein (1st season), offensive coordinator Joe Sloan (former Brian Kelly OC at LSU), defensive coordinator Jay Bateman (former Mike Elko DC at Texas A&M) and rest of the staff is new. Kentucky added twenty-nine players from the transfer portal. Among them* are QB Kenny Minchey (Notre Dame), LG Olaus Alinen (Alabama), RG Tegra Tshabola (Ohio State), LT Lance Heard (Tennessee), C Coleton Price (Baylor), RB Jovantae Barnes (Oklahoma), WR Nic Anderson (Okl>LSU), WR Shane Carr (Southern Utah), RB CJ Baxter (Texas), S Aaron Gates (Florida), S Jordan Castell (Florida), DT Jamarrion Harkless (Purdue), LB Elijah Barnes (Texas). From the high school ranks, UK somehow signed 4-star WR Kenny Darby (Bossier City, LA) who Bama was also recruiting, 4-star QB Matt Ponatoski (also drafted by the Reds in the 18th round).
* All are projected starters.
Strengths: Stein infuses the program with some much-needed life… All things considered, UK did pretty well in the transfer portal… If the OL can gel, they could be pretty good… Lotsa hype around QB Minchey… PK Jacob Kauwe pretty reliable…
Weaknesses: Too many to list here… Lost vital experience across the board… Major rebuild…
Outlook: Stein is facing a major overhaul of the entire program. It might take a few years to get the ‘Cats back to a competitive level. There is not much reason to think the Wildcats will be very good this fall. However, they may be good enough to eke out a few home SEC wins.
Odds
- 4.5 Wins Total Per FanDuel
- No spread in the Bama game has been posted as of yet.
2026 KENTUCKY WILDCATS SCHEDULE:
- Sat, Sep 5 vs Youngstown State – W
- Sat, Sep 12 vs Alabama – L
- Sat, Sep 19 @ Texas A&M – L
- Sat, Sep 26 vs South Alabama – W
- Sat, Oct 3 @ South Carolina – L – Potential hangover for SC after Bama, TAMU games.
- Sat, Oct 10 vs LSU – L
- Sat, Oct 17 @ Oklahoma – L
- Sat, Oct 24 vs Vanderbilt – W – Diego Pavia isn’t coming back.
- Sat, Nov 7 @ Tennessee – L
- Sat, Nov 14 vs Florida – W – The ‘Cats have won 4 of the last 5.
- Sat, Nov 21 @ Missouri – L – Potential upset.
- Sat, Nov 28 vs Louisville – L
2026 ALABAMA SCHEDULE PREVIEWS:
- Sat, Sep 5 vs East Carolina
- Sat, Sep 12 @ Kentucky
- Sat, Sep 19 vs Florida State
- Sat, Sep 26 vs South Carolina
- Sat, Oct 3 @ Mississippi State
- Sat, Oct 10 vs Georgia
- Sat, Oct 17 @ Tennessee
- Sat, Oct 24 vs Texas A&M
- Sat, Nov 7 @ LSU
- Sat, Nov 14 @ Vanderbilt
- Sat, Nov 21 vs Chattanooga
- Sat, Nov 28 vs Auburn
