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Kentucky 2024 football schedule: An early look at future opponents

By Mat Mlodzinski

Kentucky players made their way across the field as the Wildcats practiced at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility on Tuesday morning in Lexington, Ky. Mar. 21, 2023Jf Uk Spring Practice Aj4t0057
Kentucky players made their way across the field as the Wildcats practiced at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility on Tuesday morning in Lexington, Ky. Mar. 21, 2023Jf Uk Spring Practice Aj4t0057 /
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Who said it was too early to look ahead? The Kentucky 2024 football schedule features some challenging away games and an in-state rival.

The Kentucky Wildcats have become an above-average football team in the SEC and will face a challenging slate in 2023. Before the upcoming season even gets going, why not skip ahead and look at the following year?

Kentucky 2024 football schedule (All times TBD)

  • Sat. Aug. 31 – at Akron
  • Sat. Sept. 21 – vs Ohio
  • Sat. Nov. 16 – vs Murray State
  • Sat. Nov. 30 – vs Louisville
  • TBD – at Arkansas
  • TBD – at Florida
  • TBD – Georgia
  • TBD – Mississippi State
  • TBD – South Carolina
  • TBD – Vanderbilt
  • TBD – at Missouri
  • TBD – at Tennessee

For the most part, dates are not decided yet, however, it is interesting to note how spread out the four non-conference games are. They just about three full months, which will give Kentucky football some room to breathe in between a gauntlet of an SEC football schedule.

The new SEC teams will have to wait

In 2024, Oklahoma and Texas will start their inaugural SEC seasons. However, for Kentucky, it’ll be business as usual. The Wildcats will play eight SEC games, and all of them will be against the traditional opponents.

Schedules past 2024 aren’t yet released, but the Wildcats won’t play the Sooners or Longhorns until 2025 at the earliest.

Non-conference slate provides opportunity and downfall

The Kentucky 2024 football schedule won’t be easy, and you can look straight to the in-conference portion of it for a reason why. But don’t look past the non-conference games either.

Murray State and Akron should be the walks-in-the-park. The Racers have historically struggled against FBS opponents, losing to Texas Tech by 53 last season and to Cincinnati by 35 the year before.

Akron has won a total of five games in the last four seasons. Barring a perfect game played by either team, the Wildcats should be in the driver’s seat for both of those games

The other two non-conference games are a perfect blend of an opportunity for wins, but making sure the Wildcats are on their toes for. The Ohio Bobcats have steadily been one of the better teams in the always-competitive MAC. Last year they went 10-4, winning the Arizona Bowl over Wyoming.

Of course, Kentucky and Louisville always put together great games in every sport. The Cardinals are coming off an 8-5 year and bring in talented transfer Jack Plummer at quarterback. The Wildcats will need to be on their A-game against the Cardinals and Bobcats.

No Alabama, but no days off in the SEC

The Kentucky 2024 football schedule won’t feature the Crimson Tide, but it will still test every ounce of skill, speed, and strength the Cats have to offer.

You don’t have to look much further than the Georgia Bulldogs, who won the National Championship in 2021 and 2022. That will be the home game Wildcats fans will be waiting for in 2024.

Of course, away games with Florida and Tennessee should also prove to be challenging in awesome environments. And there always seems to be at least one team that rises out of nowhere in the SEC.

From top to bottom, the Kentucky 2024 football schedule will feature strong competition and should test the Wildcats’ capabilities to the max. But why don’t we try and get through 2023 first?

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