Each of the past five games between Kentucky and Ole Miss have been decided by a touchdown or less.
LEXINGTON – September 6, 2025 – BRADELY CHARLES – BSN
The UK football team hosted No. 20 Ole Miss on Saturday in each team’s first SEC game of the season. The Cats took a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Ole Miss scored two touchdowns within the following six minutes. Kentucky was unable to retake the lead as Ole Miss would win the matchup 30-23.
With UK now two games into its 12-game regular season schedule, some storylines have begun to develop. Here are five takeaways from today’s win.
Zach Calzada’s injury & starting status:
UK quarterback Zach Calzada went 15-of-30 for 149 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. When asked about Calzada after the game, Stoops said that he was unsure of the extent of Calzada’s injury.
Stoops also indicated that regardless of the injury, he is interested in seeing backup QB Cutter Boley get some playing time. “I want to see Cutter,” Stoops said.
The “Big Blue Wall” has played well through two games:
One of many storylines regarding UK football prior to the season centered around Kentucky’s offensive line as fans hoped to have the unit live up to the “Big Blue Wall” standard.
Through two games, the O-line has had success. Kentucky allowed no sacks, four QB hits, and four tackles for loss in last week’s season-opening win against Toledo, while rushing for 220 yards off 43 carries.
In Saturday’s SEC opener against the Rebels; UK allowed three sacks, three QB hits, and four TFLs. The Cats rushed for 172 yards off 37 carries. It marks the first time since 2019 that Kentucky has rushed for at least 170 yards in each of the first two games.
Ty Bryant and Alex Afari Jr. were standouts for the UK defense:
Early in the matchup, Kentucky’s defense had success against Ole Miss as the Rebels did not score in their first four possessions of the game. UK safety Ty Bryant, from Lexington, Ky., played a large role in that.
Bryant registered two interceptions in the opening quarter with each of those occurring in Ole Miss territory. The picks gave the Kentucky offense tremendous field position on those drives, which the Cats were able to convert into 10 points.
His two interceptions mark the first time a Wildcat has had two interceptions in an SEC home game since Anthony Wajda against LSU in 1999. Bryant finished the game with 10 total tackles, which was tied with teammate Alex Afari Jr. for the most by any player in the game.
It marks Afari’s ninth consecutive game with a TFL, which ties former Wildcat Jeremy Jarmon for the second-longest streak in UK history. With his performance against Ole Miss, Afari also became the first Wildcat with at least 10 tackles in the first two games of the season since Kash Daniel in 2018.
There was an emphasis on getting Kendrick Law involved in the offense:
Following a performance without a catch or rushing attempt against Toledo for wide receiver Kendrick Law, UK clearly put an emphasis on involving the explosive WR in today’s game.
Law registered seven targets and a career-high six catches, which each led the team. Law tallied 44 receiving yards, while registering 49 yards after the catch. He had a 37-yard reception called back in the first quarter due to a penalty.
UK kicker Jacob Kauwe remains perfect on field goal attempts this season:
It’s something that could easily be overlooked, but kicker Jacob Kauwe was 3-of-3 on his field goal attempts against Ole Miss. Each attempt was between 31-39 yards. If the Cats would have won; Kauwe would have played a significant role in that accomplishment. He was also 2-for-2 on extra point attempts.
Kauwe was 3-of-3 on extra point attempts against Toledo last week, while making his only field goal attempt of the afternoon. His field goal against the Rockets was a 45-yard attempt.
Kentucky is now 1-1 (0-1 SEC) this season, while No. 20 Ole Miss is 2-0 (1-0 SEC). Up next for the Cats is a home game against Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
