The Kentucky Wildcats stunned many in their dominant throttling of the Youngstown State Penguins on Saturday.
It wasn't necessarily that the Cats came out on top, as they were heavily expected to win, but it was how dominant they looked in the 60 minutes of game time. The Cats won 45-13, ending the first half up 28-0. They covered the 22.5-point spread with ease, and they even helped the Under (61.5) cash as they held the Penguins to just two touchdowns (one of which had a missed extra point).
Now, Week 2 is going to bring a much different foe, as the Alabama Crimson Tide will be making the trip up to Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky. The Crimson Tide won their first game of the season 48-10 over the East Carolina Pirates. They also covered
the spread as a 28.5-point home favorite.
That said, the opening lines are up for the Crimson Tide's trip up north, and they are seen as a 10.5-point favorite in Week 2 against Kentucky, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
Not calling for the upset (yet), but I now believe Kentucky can beat Alabama next week in Lexington https://t.co/GNlqIom47l
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 5, 2026
The Crimson Tide are among the premier organizations in the country and are a top-15 side in both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll. They were led in their first game by dual-threat quarterback Keelon Russell, who ended with 256 passing yards and a team-high 86 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Superstar receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams ended with 130 yards, and he's certainly going to challenge the Kentucky defensive backs Saturday.
For the Cats, Kenny Minchey looked like the real deal against Youngstown State. He had 301 yards and four touchdowns, shredding the Penguins defense. A combination of Jason Patterson and CJ Baxter provided a one-two punch for first-year head coach Will Stein, and they combined for over 120 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Get your popcorn ready, BBN, as this should be a terrific game. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, adnd it will be televised on ABC.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky Wildcats open as huge underdogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
