Another Tough Slate For The Cats
It’s been less than a week since Georgia won the SEC title over Alabama. However, it’s never too early to look at 2026. In what’s become a made-for-TV event broadcast on the SEC Network, all 16 schools found out who they’ll play and when next season. The one big change for 2026 is the nine-game SEC schedule. That’s something Kentucky had been against through the years. If you haven’t been following, Mark Stoops is out after 13 years, and Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein is in. However, he won’t get really rolling until after the Ducks finish in the playoff. Let’s break down who the Cats will face as we’re examining Kentucky’s 2026 Schedule.
A Tough Start
Kentucky kicks off the season on Saturday, September 5th, when they host Youngstown State. Of course, this game was made years ago when not only Mark Stoops but Vince Marrow were head and associate head coach. Both are Youngstown natives.
From there business really picks up. Week two sees the Wildcats host Alabama at Kroger Field. The Crimson Tide leads the all-time series 39 wins to two for UK with one tie. Furthermore, Alabama is on an eight-game win streak since Tim Couch led the Wildcats to a win back in 1997. These two last met in 2023.
Next up is a trip to College Station for a battle against Texas A&M on September 19th. This is the second time UK has traveled to A&M since they joined the SEC. That happened back in 2018. The Aggies finally come to Lexington in 2028. If you are counting at home, that’s back-to-back games against College Football Playoff teams.
The Cats wrap up September by hosting South Alabama. Coming from the Sun Belt, the Jaguars went 4-8 last year, and it’s their first-ever meeting.
That’s the first month of the season. Let’s move to October as we are examining Kentucky’s 2026 schedule.
An SEC Heavy Month
October kicks off with the Cats heading to South Carolina on October 3rd. Kentucky had dominated this series recently, but the Gamecocks have won the last four. Of course, playing in Columbia we’ll be treated(?) to “Sandstorm” approximately a billion times.
The next week, Kentucky welcomes Lane Kiffin back to Lexington as they host LSU. He, of course, brought Ole Miss in this season and pulled out the win. The Cats and Tigers played every year from 1949- 2011. However, when the league changed the schedules after Texas A&M and Missouri joined, they’ve only met twice since (2014 and 2021).
On October 17th, Kentucky faces another playoff team as they travel to Oklahoma. It’s the first trip to Norman for the Cats since 1980. Overall, the Sooners lead the series 2-1 with the lone Kentucky victory coming in the 1951 Sugar Bowl. A win that later led to the school being crowned national champion.
The month wraps up as Vanderbilt travels to Lexington on October 24th. Much like South Carolina, this is a series the Cats used to dominate. However, the Commodores have won two straight and three of the last four.
November To Remember
Following the lone bye week of the year, Kentucky travels down Interstate 75 to face Tennessee. The Vols remained permanent rivals along with Florida and South Carolina.
On November 14th, Kentucky hosts Florida for a second straight year. This game takes on even more significance as former Wildcat player and assistant coach Jon Sumrall now leads the Gators. After struggling for years, Kentucky’s won four of the last five in the series.
Usually, the third week in November, Kentucky steps out of conference for a game against an FCS squad. With the nine-game schedule, that’s not happening this year as they travel to Missouri. The two teams met every year when the Tigers joined the SEC. However, they haven’t played since 2023.
Finally, Kentucky wraps up the season hosting Louisville in the “Battle For The Governor’s Cup.” The Cards have won two straight after Kentucky previously won five in a row.
Final Thoughts
A few things jump out at you while looking at next year. First, the SEC did Stein no favors as his first two league games are hosting Alabama and then traveling to Texas A&M. In addition, you’ll notice there’s no Georgia. With UK’s three permanent opponents being Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina, that leaves out the Bulldogs.
This will be the first time since 1956 that the Cats and Bulldogs won’t meet. Of course, the series has been incredibly one-sided over the years. Georgia is currently riding a 16-game winning streak and leads 65-12 with two ties overall. So maybe it’s not the worst thing if they don’t meet next year.
That’s a look at Will Stein’s first year as we’ve been examining Kentucky’s 2026 schedule.
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