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Kentucky football's 2025 & 2026 schedule: Known and confirmed opponents

Kentucky will be experiencing a big test in terms of their schedule in 2025, and we also throw in who we know they will be playing in 2026 as well.
ByDrew Holbrook
Kentucky v Ole Miss
Kentucky v Ole Miss | Justin Ford/GettyImages

The Kentucky Wildcats' 2025 football schedule presents a compelling mix of non-conference matchups and challenging SEC contests and looking ahead 2026 has 2 sure wins in the non-conference as well. Here's a detailed look at the upcoming opponents and their performances in the 2024 season:

August 30: Toledo (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 8-5,
  • Won GameAbove Bowl game

September 6: Ole Miss (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 10-3
  • Final Ranking: 9th
  • Won TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game

September 13: Eastern Michigan (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 5-7

September 20: Open Date

September 27: at South Carolina (Away)

  • 2024 Record: 9-4
  • South Carolina lost the Cheez-It Citrus Bow

October 4: at Georgia (Away)

  • 2024 Record: 11-3
  • Georgia made the College Football Playoff, losing to Notre Dame

October 11: Open Date

October 18: Texas (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 13-3
  • Texas made the semifinals of the College football playoff losing to Ohio State.
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October 25: Tennessee (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 10-3
  • Tennessee made the College Football Playoff losing to Ohio State

November 1: at Auburn (Away)

  • 2024 Record: 5-7
  • Defeated Kentucky in Lexington

November 8: Florida (Home)

  • 2024 Record: 8-5
  • Defeated Kentucky in the Swamp

November 15: Tennessee Tech (Home)

November 22: at Vanderbilt (Away)

  • 2024 Record: 7-6
  • Defeated the Cats in Lexington (noticing a theme here)

November 29: at Louisville (Away)

  • 2024 Record: 9-4
  • Won the Sun Bowl game

The 2025 schedule is notably rigorous, featuring three teams—Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas—that concluded the 2024 season in the College Football Playoff. And a schedule that features only two teams that had a losing record in 2024, it does not get any easier for Stoops.

Looking ahead to 2026, the schedule includes non-conference games against Youngstown State on September 5 and South Alabama on September 26, both at home. The annual rivalry game against Louisville is slated for November 28.

Mark Stoops needs a really big bounce back in 2025 to even see 2026 as the head coach. Can he pull it off?

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