Kentucky
Trinity tops Class 6A in first Kentucky High School Football Media Poll of 2024 season
Defending state champion Trinity is No. 1 in Class 6A in the first Kentucky High School Football Media Poll of the season.
The Shamrocks are 2-0 after a pair of road victories in Lexington over Bryan Station and Frederick Douglass. Trinity will host Indiana’s Center Grove at 7 p.m. Friday.
Watch KHSAA football games on NFHS Network all season long
Following Trinity in the Class 6A poll are Male (2-0), St. Xavier (2-0), Frederick Douglass (1-1) and Manual (2-0).
Male will host St. Xavier at 7 p.m. Friday, and Manual will host Frederick Douglass at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The No. 1 teams in the other classes are Bowling Green (Class 5A), Boyle County (4A), Christian Academy (3A), Owensboro Catholic (2A) and Campbellsville (A).
The Kentucky High School Football Media Poll is conducted by 16 sports journalists throughout the state, with one representative for each of the 16 football regions in order to provide geographical balance. Starting next week, the poll will be released each Wednesday morning throughout the regular season.
Here are the complete polls. First-place votes are in parentheses.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Trinity (16) 2-0 160
2. Male 2-0 136
3. St. Xavier 2-0 127
4. Frederick Douglass 1-1 117
5. Manual 2-0 90
6. Ryle 2-0 72
7. Bryan Station 0-2 47
8. Bullitt East 2-0 34
9. Great Crossing 2-0 24
10. Simon Kenton 2-0 23
Others receiving votes: Madison Central 21, Ballard 10, George Rogers Clark 10, Central Hardin 3, Oldham County 3, Tates Creek 3.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Bowling Green (6) 1-1 144
2. Cooper (8) 2-0 143
3. Highlands (1) 2-0 130
4. South Warren (1) 2-0 123
5. Woodford County 2-0 70
6. Madisonville-North Hopkins 2-0 58
7. Pulaski County 1-1 40
8. Owensboro 0-2 38
9. Atherton 2-0 31
10. North Laurel 2-0 27
Others receiving votes: Graves County 23, Scott County 20, Southwestern 10, South Oldham 9, Dixie Heights 6, North Bullitt 5, Greenwood 2, South Laurel 1.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Boyle County (16) 2-0 160
2. Paducah Tilghman 2-0 141
3. Corbin 2-0 123
4. Franklin County 2-0 111
5. Ashland Blazer 2-0 91
6. Covington Catholic 0-2 62
7. Johnson Central 1-1 52
8. North Oldham 2-0 46
9. Warren East 2-0 36
10. Bardstown 1-1 34
Others receiving votes: Spencer County 6, DeSales 5, Henry County 3, Logan County 3, Allen County-Scottsville 2, Mason County 2, Wayne County 2, Taylor County 1.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Christian Academy (16) 2-0 160
2. Hart County 2-0 120
3. Central 0-2 97
4. Belfry 1-1 95
5. Lexington Catholic 0-2 82
6. Bell County 1-1 69
7. Franklin-Simpson 2-0 67
8. Glasgow 2-0 46
9. Union County 1-1 39
10. Rockcastle County 2-0 34
Others receiving votes: East Carter 26, Lawrence County 22, Mercer County 13, Hancock County 5, Adair County 2, Lloyd Memorial 2, Hopkins County Central 1.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Owensboro Catholic (12) 2-0 153
2. Beechwood (4) 2-0 144
3. Mayfield 1-1 120
4. Lexington Christian 0-2 103
5. Somerset 2-0 97
6. Murray 1-1 62
7. Crittenden County 1-1 46
8. Green County 1-1 34
9. Washington County 2-0 20
10. Breathitt County 0-2 19
Others receiving votes: Betsy Layne 18, Prestonsburg 17, Caldwell County 14, Knott County Central 13, Martin County 8, Shelby Valley 7, Bracken County 3, Monroe County 2.
Rank-school (FPV) Record Pts
1. Campbellsville (5) 2-0 139
2. Pikeville (9) 0-2 135
3. Sayre (1) 2-0 114
4. Raceland (1) 1-1 113
5. Newport Central Catholic 2-0 96
6. Paris 2-0 78
7. Kentucky Country Day 1-1 49
8. Bethlehem 2-0 46
9. Hazard 2-0 34
10. Newport 2-0 23
Others receiving votes: Williamsburg 20, Ludlow 17, Bishop Brossart 10, Louisville Holy Cross 6.
Voters: Chelsea Parker (The Paducah Sun), Edward Marlowe (WKDZ-FM), Mark Mathis (Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer), Micheal Compton (Bowling Green Daily News), Josh Claywell (The Kentucky Standard, LaRue County Herald News), Kendrick Haskins (WAVE-TV), Jason Frakes (The Courier Journal), James Weber (Cincinnati Enquirer), Brendan Connelly (Cincinnati Enquirer), Evan Dennison (LinkNKy.com), Jared Peck (Lexington Herald-Leader), Mike Marsee (Danville freelancer), Les Dixon (13thRegionMediaNetwork.com), Brendon Miller (Bluegrass Sports Nation), Randy White (Appalachian News-Express), James Collier (WLGC-FM).
More high school football: Jason Frakes’ top 10 teams in state after Week 2
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Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.
Kentucky
Cutter Boley puts career day aside to focus on loss: ‘Should’ve come out of there with the win’
Kentucky‘s overtime loss to Texas came with a serious silver lining: Cutter Boley had his best game as a Wildcat, throwing for 258 yards on 31/39 overall with 45 rushing yards and a score on the ground. The redshirt freshman took some bad sacks and threw an ugly pick, but outside of a handful of youth-driven errors, the kid showed some real stuff.
His head coach thought he grew up right before our eyes against the toughest defense on the schedule.
“I’m very impressed with Cutter,” Mark Stoops said after the loss. “Very impressed because there was a couple of things early and we were coaching him and talking to him and he’s learning and staying positive and working very hard. The completion percentage, to go 31 of 39, it was impressive. I like to see that.
“We needed our completion percentage to keep on increasing and it’s doing that. He’s a big reason why. I thought he was very comfortable.”
It could’ve been a chance for Boley to pat himself on the back and celebrate the individual win as the future looks bright in Lexington with the Hodgenville native under center. Instead, Boley could only focus on being six inches short on the overtime goal line stand and letting the Longhorns head back to Austin with a win.
“It’s tough, we’re six inches away right there, and it’s tough not to get that done,” he said after the loss. “… It’s just tough when you come up short like that. We should’ve come out of there with the win for sure.”
Don’t confuse his frustration for pessimism, though. Boley is proud of the team’s progress and general trajectory as the puzzle pieces slowly start to come together. No matter the record at 2-4, confidence is high the Wildcats can figure things out before it’s officially too late.
There are still six games to be the team they believe they can be.
“Come back on Monday and take steps,” Boley said. “Everybody believes that confidence ain’t slacked at all. Just postgame, everything like that, everybody still believes. We just gotta keep coming to work and putting in the work. … I think that there’s obviously — a loss sucks, you know what I mean? But I don’t think that fazed anyone’s confidence at all.
“We know the team we got, we’re in here working every day.”
As for his own growth, he just feels he’s making the plays that come his way and playing within his ability. When the situation calls for a scramble, he’s going to tuck it and go. When he needs to take the layup, he drops it off to move the chains and live to see another day. Need a home run? He’s got that in him, too.
Whatever the coaches need him to do or however the game unfolds, he’s ready to adjust.
“Just trying to execute the play as it’s called. I feel like we came in with a really good plan .I was just throwing it to the open guy,” he said. “… Just taking what they give me, I don’t have to go out there and force things to happen, I don’t have to make crazy plays. I just gotta take what they give me and when I have to make a play, I’ll make a play.
“It just kind of comes naturally, just trying to execute the play that’s called and get it to the open guy.”
The coaches trust him to do that. Now it’s on the coaches to put him in position to succeed — and Boley’s offensive coordinator understands that.
“I think there’s something there with him, for sure,” Bush Hamdan said of Boley. “I think his confidence continues to grow, but we’re falling short. We’re not making those plays. I understand the criticism, it’s warranted, and we gotta get it fixed.”
For the second straight year, Kentucky football found itself in a defensive slugfest that came down to the wire, but once again, the Wildcats fell to Texas, 16-13, in a game that mirrored last season’s heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Georgia.
It was another contest defined by grit, physicality, and missed offensive opportunities. Kentucky’s defense kept the game close from start to finish, holding a powerful Texas offense to just 16 points and forcing multiple key stops. However, the Wildcats’ offense struggled to establish consistency through the air and on the ground, leaving the defense with little margin for error.
The Wildcats tied the game at 10-10 with 12:04 remaining in the fourth quarter after redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley rushed in for a short touchdown. Later, kicker Jacob Kauwe nailed a clutch field goal to make it 13-13 and send the game into overtime, keeping Kentucky’s upset hopes alive, but falling short in overtime, 16-13.
Defensively, Kentucky continued to prove it can hang with anyone in the country. The Wildcats’ front seven were aggressive and disciplined, limiting Texas’ big plays and finishing with 45 tackles for loss and three sacks.
As for the offense, the MVP of the night was redshirt freshman Cutter Boley, who, despite his inexperience and one costly interception, showed poise under pressure. Boley finished 31-of-39 for 258 passing yards, adding 1 rushing touchdown and one interception. His composure and flashes of confidence were encouraging signs for Kentucky’s future.
While the loss stings, Kentucky once again showed that it belongs on the same field as college football’s elite programs. The defense is championship-caliber, but the offense still needs to find its rhythm and something that could make all the difference as the Wildcats continue through SEC play.
Next up, Kentucky looks to regroup and get back in the win column with a key conference matchup next weekend at Kroger Field against Tennessee
Kentucky football: Mark Stoops reflects on loss to Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said the Wildcats are far from where they need to be and must improve all phases after a 35-14 loss to Georgia.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football’s latest attempt to end its SEC losing streaks — eight overall dating to last season, and eight at home going back to September 2023 — takes place tonight at Kroger Field.
UK welcomes Texas to town for the first time.
The two previous meetings in this series were in Austin, Texas, with the Longhorns winning both.
Stream Kentucky vs. Texas
The Wildcats enter tonight’s contest after an open date, which coach Mark Stoops deemed a “productive” week for his program.
“We needed to get some guys healthy and needed to get better, and I feel like we got a lot of work done last week,” he said. “Got guys healthy. Got a little head start on Texas.”
What does Stoops make of the Longhorns, who are ranked 17th in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and 21st in the AP Top 25?
“We know what you’re getting with Texas: It’s a very good football team, very well coached,” he said. “Ton of respect for coach Sark (Texas’ Steve Sarkisian). I’ve known him for a long time. We’ve gone against each other all the way back to the days out West when I was at Arizona, and he was at USC.
“I’ve always have a ton of respect for him and the way he calls plays.”
Kentucky is 2-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play; UT is 4-2 and 1-1, respectively.
The Wildcats’ last win over a ranked team doubles as their most recent triumph over a league foe: last season’s road upset of then-unbeaten Ole Miss. If the Longhorns are victorious, it will mark their 966th win all time, the fifth most in college football history. (Notre Dame, which is fourth, enters today with 966 victories.)
- TV channel: ESPN
- Livestream: Fubo (free trial); ESPN+ (subscriber only)
Kentucky vs Texas will be broadcast nationally on ESPN in Week 8 of the 2025 college football season. Dave Flemming and Brock Osweiler will call the game from the booth at Kroger Field, with Stormy Buonantony reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
- Start time: 7 p.m.
The Kentucky vs Texas game starts at 7 p.m. from Kroger Field in Lexington.
Stream Kentucky vs. Texas
Odds courtesy of BetMGM, as of Friday, Oct. 17
Texas 38, Kentucky 10: The most points the Longhorns have allowed in any game this season is 29. Kentucky’s offense, which already struggles to score in even the best of times, likely will find it tough sledding against UT’s stingy bunch, which ranks third nationally in scoring defense (11 points per game). Barring a plethora of Texas turnovers, or multiple momentum-shifting plays by Kentucky’s special teams, it’s hard to see how the hosts pull off the upset. — Ryan Black, The Courier Journal
Spread: Texas by 12 ½
Over/under: 42 ½
Moneyline: Kentucky +360, Texas -475.
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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