What a wild Saturday it was for the Kentucky Football team. The Wildcats escaped with a 35-34 overtime victory over then-No. 10 LSU Tigers inside Kroger Field while rocking the iconic Power K jerseys.
The game featured plenty of twists and turns, including trick plays that resulted in LSU touchdowns, explosive plays from Kentucky’s offense and special teams, turnovers, and, most importantly, missed field goals.
Through it all, Kentucky remained competitive. With LSU facing a fourth-down situation late in regulation, the Tigers elected to punt rather than go for it. Kentucky then drove down the field in less than two minutes, setting up kicker Adam Zouagui for a field goal to send the game into overtime after he had missed his previous two attempts.
Kentucky won the coin toss and elected to play defense first. LSU quickly drove down the field and scored a touchdown. The Wildcats then got their opportunity, and on third-and-10, quarterback Kenny Minchey connected with Kenny Darby, who nearly took the ball into the end zone but came up a yard short.
CJ Baxter immediately punched it in for a touchdown, leaving Kentucky down by one point. Instead of kicking the extra point to force a second overtime, first-year head coach Will Stein decided to go for the two-point conversion to win the game.
The decision paid off. Minchey called his own number on a quarterback draw, found plenty of open space, and crossed the goal line untouched to secure the victory.
Kentucky defeated LSU 35-34 in overtime, improving to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in SEC play. The Wildcats are now ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 poll.
Oklahoma Sooners (3-2, 1-1 in SEC)
The Oklahoma Sooners have faced increased scrutiny this season after finishing the 2025 campaign with a 10-3 record and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, their season ended with a 34-24 loss to Alabama in the first round, and Oklahoma has struggled to find consistency this year.
The potent offense Oklahoma showcased last season has largely been absent throughout the 2026 campaign. The exceptions came in the season opener against UTEP, when the Sooners cruised to a 51-0 victory, and this past weekend, when they defeated then-No. 1 Texas in the Red River Rivalry.
However, not all 27 points against Texas came from the offense. Oklahoma scored a touchdown after blocking and recovering a punt in the end zone, while another touchdown came on a pick-six. The Sooners’ other scoring plays included a rushing touchdown and two field goals.
Across their other three games, Oklahoma has averaged just 12.3 points per game, which is disappointing for an offense expected to be productive under quarterback John Mateer.
Speaking of Mateer, he has completed 90 of 135 pass attempts for a 66.7% completion rate, totaling 1,038 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions this season. Mateer is also a running threat, recording 53 carries for 70 rushing yards.
Those numbers fall short of his previous two seasons in terms of passing production. In 2025, Mateer threw for 2,885 yards, while he recorded 3,139 passing yards in 2024. His touchdown-to-interception numbers also tell an interesting story. Mateer threw 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025, compared with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024.
For Oklahoma to defeat Kentucky, the Sooners will need Mateer to take another step forward and help their offense become more consistent.
For Kentucky to win in Norman, Kenny Minchey and the offense will have to find a way to pierce the Sooners’ stingy defense and avoid game-breaking turnovers that won Oklahoma the game vs. then-No. 1 Texas.
As for other notable Oklahoma players, the receiving corps features wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III, Mateer’s primary target, along with tight end Rocky Beers and wide receiver Trell Harris. Kentucky will need to account for all three playmakers while also limiting the Sooners’ running game, which features Lloyd Avant and Jonathan Hatton Jr.
- Game: Kentucky Football vs. Oklahoma Sooners
- Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium — Norman, Oklahoma
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV Info: SEC Network will have the TV broadcast
- Online Streaming: WatchESPN
- Radio: UK Sports Network
- Opening Odds: FanDuel lists Kentucky as a 6.5-point underdog.ESPN gives Kentucky a 32.1% chance of winning.
- Our Early Prediction: Kentucky enters this matchup at 5-1 under first-year head coach Will Stein after a huge upset over LSU, while Oklahoma is coming off a rivalry win over Texas. Both teams could experience an emotional hangover after their big victories, but I believe Kentucky can overcome that challenge and earn another road win. Despite concerns about linebacker injuries, the Wildcats have a chance to improve to 6-1, become bowl-eligible, and remain in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Final Score: Kentucky 31, Oklahoma 20.
How do you see this one playing out?