Kentucky
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss opening odds and early predictions
The Kentucky Wildcats hit the road for the first time this season as they travel down to Oxford for a date with the Ole Miss Rebels.
After knocking off the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday, Mark Stoop’s squad has now moved to 2-2 on the season as they look to continue making the complete turnaround from the egg they laid against South Carolina in Week 2. This week against Ole Miss will be another opportunity to do just that.
It won’t be easy, though. Lane Kiffin’s team comes into the battle ranked as a top-ten team in the country and has been as high as No. 5 in the early weeks of AP Polls. Coming into the matchup, the Rebels are 4-0 and are coming off another blow-out performance against Georgia Southern, winning 52-13.
Keeping that in mind, that will point us to likely the biggest matchup in this game, Jaxson Dart vs. Kentucky’s defense. We saw what Kentucky was able to do to slow down Carson Beck and the Georgia offense, but this Ole Miss offense is a completely different beast.
At the moment, Ole Miss is currently averaging 61 points per game while stacking up an absurd average of 670 yards per game. With most of those coming through the air, Dart is already setting himself up for a potential invitation to the Heisman ceremony with the numbers he has been posting. After throwing for 1,554 yards and 12 touchdowns through the first four weeks, Brad White’s defense will have to prepare to slow him down.
For the BBN, there is some hope coming into this matchup. To start the season, Ole Miss has squared off with Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest, and the aforementioned Georgia Southern. Despite facing one Power 5 opponent in Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons have struggled so far this season, sitting at 1-2, and have not looked great.
If the Cats can replicate some of the offensive successes we saw against Ohio and can continue to dominate on the defensive side of the ball, they will have a shot. Obviously, that is a big “if” at the moment after the first two conference performances by the offense, but the chance could be there for the Cats this week to earn that first signature win.
At the moment, the Cats are currently a 16.5-point underdog to the Rebels. That sounds about right, based on how these two teams have looked so far this season.
Let the game week begin!
How to watch Kentucky vs. Ole Miss
Date & Time: Saturday, Sep. 28 at Noon ET
Location: Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: UK Sports Network with Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro
Rosters: UK I Ole Miss
Stats: UK I Ole Miss
Odds: Ole Miss -16.5 via FanDuel, while ESPN FPI only gives the Cats a 9.5% chance of victory.
Early Predictions: DRatings has the Rebels winning 33-21, while TeamRankings has it at 35-17 in favor of the home team.
Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
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.
Time is of the essence if you’re Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats right now. With the transfer portal set to close in just a few days, chaos reigns as programs and players scramble to secure their next opportunities. Among the fray is Kentucky, which finds itself navigating a tumultuous landscape in search of elite talent. With many of the Top 25 players already committed, the urgency for the Wildcats to land a game-changing recruit has never been more at the forefront following this season.
One of Pope’s primary targets is Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman. The 6-foot-9 rising junior made waves during his time at Syracuse, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 47.4 percent from the field last season. His potential is undeniable; many experts predict Freeman will be a future first-round NBA draft pick, making him a coveted asset for any program.
Freeman’s recent visit to Kentucky has sparked much-needed hope. However, despite positive feedback from his trip, he left without making a commitment to join one of college basketball’s blue bloods. The competition is fierce. The question looms: Can Kentucky outmaneuver these schools and secure his commitment?
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Well, Friday morning, the Cats were able to outlast one of their deepest competitions for now in Connecticut. Freeman was set to make his way to see the Huskies, but he has since cancelled his Friday visit, per UConn Report (subscription required). Now it appears the Huskies officially have bowed out of the race. That’s one down, and just the Alabama Crimson Tide, it appears, stands in the way for Mark Pope and Kentucky.
Mark Pope faces additional pressure following the return of Rob Wright to BYU, leaving the Wildcats in a precarious position when it comes to key portal targets. They need to act swiftly to avoid being left without significant talent as the portal closes. Freeman’s skill set would not only bolster their roster but would also complement rising star Malachi Moreno, as Freeman would be the ideal fit for the power forward.
As the clock ticks down, all eyes are on Mark Pope and his ability to close this deal. The stakes are high, and for Kentucky, landing Donnie Freeman could be the key to turning chaos into triumph, but will they be able to close perhaps the deal amidst the age of transfer portal madness? Well, they are one step closer now, it appears.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball closing in on a Donnie Freeman commitment?
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