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Kentucky Football: Six Must-Win Games In 2016

By Maxwell Ogden

Oct 24, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops celebrates after a replay confirmed a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops celebrates after a replay confirmed a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Nick Mullens (9) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Washington Huskies at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Nick Mullens (9) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Washington Huskies at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Date: Saturday, September 3
Venue: Commonwealth Stadium
2015 W-L Record: 9-5 (7-1)
2015 Head-to-Head Result: N/A

The season-opening game may be the biggest and most influential of the 2016 season. Southern Miss is a very capable football team that could easily come into Lexington and procure a win over the Kentucky Wildcats.

If Kentucky football hopes to avoid falling into a deep hole early in the season, it must walk away from the season opener with a W.

Southern Miss is a quality team, but Kentucky needs to win out-of-conference home games. That’s especially true when one considers the team the Wildcats will be facing during the second week of the season.

Seven days after hosting Southern Miss, Kentucky will travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators—a team it hasn’t defeated since 1986.

Kentucky has a chance to beat Florida, but it can’t enter that game at 0-1. A win over Southern Miss would give it some breathing room, while a loss could result in Kentucky starting the season in an 0-2 hole.

With a senior quarterback who threw 38 touchdowns in 2015 and a running back who had over 1,600 yards from scrimmage a year ago, Southern Miss will be a tough out.

Next: September 17

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