The 2026 Kentucky football season is finally upon us. I've been waiting all year long to say those words. Will Stein has reinvigorated the roster with a Top-10 Transfer Portal class and a brand-new starting quarterback, and the fanbase has reacted in a big way. Just above 5,000 tickets remain for the official kickoff to the Will Stein era as of this writing.
With that said, what can fans expect to see go down on a blistering hot day in Lexington?
Kentucky football's season-opener might be closer than you think
Our friends over at FanDuel have the Cats as a comfortable 23.5-point favorite. But that number kind of lies a little.
Youngstown State is a Top-10 team in the FCS, sitting at No. 7 in the coaches' poll after winning 43-10 in their season-opening game against Mercyhurst. This is not a bad football team.
Senior QB Beau Brungard accounted for five total touchdowns in that win, throwing for three and rushing for two more. He threw for 232 yards and added 119 yards on the ground. Brungard took home the 2025 Walter Payton Award (best FCS player) and is a legit threat to put points on the board at Kroger Field.
“You have to defend the quarterback. There’s a play that they call, and then there’s a second play within the play that’s the quarterback scramble and his ability to run,” Stein said about Brungard on Tuesday. “When you watch the tape, there’s not a lot of third-and-longs. So they’re going to go for it on fourth-down opportunities, and they have a really good scheme, and they can run it.”
That scheme involves a lot of RPO. If you aren't familiar with that, an RPO is a play that allows the quarterback to scan the defense and either run it or pass it (Run-Pass-Option). Think back to when Touchdown Terry Wilson was running the Eddie Gran offense, and that's a good comparison.
That means Jay Bateman's defense will have to be disciplined and ready to play their roles, not searching for big plays. And in game No. 1 of the season, that is just not always the case. You have players playing together for the first time in a real game situation, and communication breakdowns are expected.
Stein added that whoever plays Youngstown "struggles" to defend them because of how good Brungard is. This Kentucky defense has its work cut out for it. However, I believe this coaching staff will have this team ready to make a statement in Week 1. I think the Cats use the momentum of the crowd to make big plays early and break the Penguins' spirit.
Cats win 49-13, and prepare for battle against Alabama in Week 2.
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