The Will Stein era will begin with seven home games next season.
The Wildcats will play nine Southeastern Conference games as the league adapts to a new format. The SEC schedule includes contests against College Football Playoff participants Alabama, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Two of those games are on the road.
Stein will make his debut as Wildcats’ coach against Youngstown State on Sept. 5, followed by the conference opener against Alabama at home and a road encounter at Texas A&M. Three of the first four games are at home.
The three non-conference teams will be Youngstown, South Alabama and Louisville. Kentucky will play Youngstown, Alabama, South Alabama, LSU, Vanderbilt, Florida and Louisville at Kroger Field. The road games are at Texas A&M, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri.
Lane Kiffin will return to Lexington when LSU visits on Oct. 10.
Former Kentucky linebacker and Florida coach Will Sumrall will make his coaching debut at Kroger Field on Nov. 14 when the Gators take on the Wildcats in Lexington for the second straight season.
Kentucky’s lone open date on the schedule is Oct. 31 after opening the season with eight straight games. Kickoff times and television designations will be announced at a later date.
BOLEY HONORED
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, the league announced Thursday.
He completed 65.8 percent of his passes (198-of-301) in 11 games, setting the UK freshman record for completion percentage. He also set the school single-season freshman record for touchdown passes against SEC opponents with 12 and the UK freshman record for touchdown passes in a game with five against Tennessee.
For the season, Boley threw for 2,160 yards, highlighted by a career-high 320 yards against Tennessee, including a career-long 71-yard touchdown.
He earned the SEC Freshman of the Week honor three times after leading the Wildcats to wins over Auburn, Florida and Tennessee Tech.
In eight SEC games, he ranked third in pass completion percentage (66.52), behind UGA’s Gunner Stockton (71.1) and Vandy’s Diego Pavia (70.1); 6th in pass completions (155); 7th in passing TDs (12); and 8th in total offense TDs (13).
UK Football Schedule
Sept. 5 Youngstown State
Sept. 12 Alabama
Sept. 19 at Texas A&M
Sept. 26 South Alabama
Oct. 3 at South Carolina
Oct. 10 LSU
Oct;. 17 at Oklahoma
Oct. 24 Vanderbilt
Oct. 31 Open
Nov. 7 at Tennessee
Nov. 14 Florida
Nov. 21 at Missouri
Nov. 28 Louisville
Will Stein spoke with passion about taking over as head coach of Kentucky on Wednesday, (Kentucky Today / Keith Taylor)
