Upset alert: Kentucky struggling at home against South Alabama
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It’s an upset alert for the team that just last week was providing its own upset alert at Texas A&M.
But exactly 7 days after Kentucky (2-1) went to College Station and took down the Aggies in an SEC shocker, the Wildcats have stepped out of conference in Week 4 against South Alabama, and it’s not going very well so far.
The visitors from the Sun Belt are giving Will Stein‘s team a heck of a hard time so far on Saturday afternoon, as Kentucky has failed, so far at least, in its quest to avoid the mostly inevitable letdown after pulling off such a huge victory in Week 3.
Big Blue Nation was hiding its eyes in the first half as their Cats fell behind the Jaguars, 21-14, late in the 1st half. Kentucky was outgaining South Alabama, 220-193, at the point where the Jaguars took that 1-touchdown lead with 1:22 left in the 2nd quarter.
Kentucky managed to tie the game at 21-21 right after South Alabama took that lead, with Jason Patterson scoring on a 75-yard touchdown run just 10 seconds after the Jaguars’ TD. It was a great response, but overall it wasn’t what Stein or Kentucky fans were looking for coming off such a big victory the week before.
There was still a little more than a half to go from Lexington and plenty of time for the Cats to get it together, and they did take the lead with 16 seconds left in the half on a field goal that followed an interception, so there was signs of life. Kentucky had inched ahead, 24-21, as the teams went to the locker room, but there still had to be some tension in the home crowd.
Kentucky is trying to stack wins, but it’s having a heck of a time doing it on Saturday against South Alabama. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about how many victories these Wildcats could ultimately pile up in 2026:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
