Kentucky

Kentucky vs Southern Miss score today: Live updates, highlights from Week 1 game

Published

2 years ago

August 31, 2024

Press Room

Kentucky vs Southern Miss score today: Live updates, highlights from Week 1 game

LEXINGTON — Story lines abound for Kentucky football heading into Saturday’s 2024 opener against Southern Miss.

Brock Vandagriff, a transfer from Georgia, will make his first-ever start as a collegian after winning the Wildcats’ starting quarterback job. Bush Hamdan is in Game 1 as UK’s offensive coordinator. And Kentucky coach Mark Stoops acknowledged earlier this week he hasn’t forgotten the last time Southern Miss came to town: The Golden Eagles rallied from a 25-point deficit to hand the Wildcats a 44-35 loss in the 2016 opener.

Watch Kentucky football vs Southern Miss live on Fubo (free trial)

Despite all the focus on the UK offense with Hamdan and Vandagriff making their debuts Saturday, it’s the defense that might make this fall a special one for the program. Led by sixth-year coordinator Brad White, the defense returns 10 starters from last season. None more important than Deone Walker, a likely first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft.

After reaching a bowl every year since 2016 (though the 2021 season’s Citrus Bowl appearance has been vacated due to NCAA violations), Kentucky hopes to take the next step this fall and work its way into College Football Playoff contention in the first season of the 12-team format.

That journey begins Saturday night at Kroger Field.

Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
Time: 7:45 p.m.
Location: Kroger Field

TV channel: SEC Network
Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
Radio: UK Sports Network (840 AM in Louisvillel 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington)

Kentucky vs. Southern Miss will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network. Tom Hart and Jordan Rodgers will call the game from the booth at Kroger Field, with Cole Cubelic reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Series record: Kentucky leads, 3-1
Kentucky’s last win: 2017 (24-17)
Southern Miss’ last win: 2016 (44-35)

Kentucky 34, Southern Miss 10: The Golden Eagles added numerous players from power conferences via the transfer portal during the offseason. Those additions won’t be nearly enough to send Kentucky to a season-opening loss, however, as coach Mark Stoops and Co. begin the 2024 campaign 1-0.

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:

Spread: Kentucky is a 24 ½-point favorite at home
Over/under: 50
Moneyline: Kentucky, -5000; Southern Miss, +1800

Kentucky has its share of players dealing with injuries. Presumed starting running back Chip Trayanum is out with a hand injury. A trio of UK defensive linemen (Josaih Hayes, Tavion Gadson and Darrion Henry-Young) are out indefinitely. Kentucky offensive lineman Courtland Ford also will miss an extended period of time.

The high is 94 degrees with thunderstorms and an 92% chance of rain in the forecast.

Aug. 31: Southern Miss ∣ 7:45 p.m.
Sept. 7: South Carolina ∣ 3:30 p.m
Sept. 14: Georgia ∣ 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21: Ohio ∣ 12:45 p.m.
Sept. 28: at Ole Miss ∣ Noon
Oct. 12: Vanderbilt
Oct. 19: at Florida
Oct. 26: Auburn
Nov. 2: at Tennessee
Nov. 16: Murray State ∣ 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 23: at Texas
Nov. 30: Louisville

Record: 0-0

Buy Kentucky football tickets this season with StubHub

Aug. 31: at Kentucky
Sept. 7: Southeastern Louisiana
Sept. 14: USF
Sept. 21: at Jacksonville State
Oct. 5: Louisiana
Oct. 12: at Louisiana Monroe
Oct. 19: Arkansas State
Oct. 26: at James Madison
Nov. 9: Marshall
Nov. 16: at Texas State
Nov. 23: South Alabama
Nov. 30: at Troy

Record: 0-0

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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Kentucky

Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report

Published

1 hour ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report

Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.

One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.

Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.

The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.

Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.

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Kentucky

Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats

Published

13 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats

LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.

The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.

Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.

Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.

“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”

While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.

“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.

“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”

New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.

And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.

This story will be updated.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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Kentucky

Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Texas A&M at Saint Marys

Mar 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Saint Mary’s (CA) Gaels forward Paulius Murauskas (23) takes a shot during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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