Kentucky football sets new season openers for 2027, 2028 schedules
The Kentucky Wildcats will open their 2027 season against Murray State and the 2028 schedule against Eastern Illinois under a new NCAA 14-week model.
Kentucky football has adjusted its nonconference schedule for the upcoming seasons, according to a report by FBSchedules.com. The Wildcats will now host both their season openers in 2027 and 2028. Previously, Kentucky was set to play Murray State on September 18, 2027, but the date has been moved up to August 28, 2027, for the season opener at Kroger Field.
Similarly, Eastern Illinois, originally scheduled to face Kentucky on September 30, 2028, will visit Lexington for the season opener on August 26, 2028. The changes come following the NCAA's decision to implement a uniform 14-week regular season starting in 2027. This new format allows FBS programs to start most seasons during Week Zero, which is the weekend before Labor Day, extending their schedules through the Thanksgiving weekend.
Kentucky's 2026 season opener will take place on September 5 against Youngstown State at Kroger Field, with the match starting at 1 p.m. ET, under the guidance of first-year head coach Will Stein.
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