Lexington, Kentucky, September 26, 2025

News Summary

The Kentucky Wildcats football team has revealed its schedule for the Southeastern Conference covering seasons from 2026 to 2029. Fans can look forward to competitive matchups, including annual rivalry games against Auburn, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. The Wildcats will face significant challenges with a grueling road schedule and opportunities to play against a variety of Power Conference opponents. The new schedule aims to enhance competition and maintain traditional rivalries, ensuring exciting football for the Wildcats in the coming years.

Kentucky Wildcats Football Reveals Upcoming SEC Schedule for 2026-2029

Lexington, Kentucky – The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has unveiled the four-year football schedule for the Kentucky Wildcats, covering the seasons from 2026 through 2029. Starting in 2026, each SEC team will play a nine-game conference schedule that will include three annual rivalry games alongside a rotation system involving other teams in the conference.

Under the guidance of head coach Mark Stoops, who has been at the helm since 2013, Kentucky will continue to face significant challenges on the field against a variety of tough opponents in key locations. The Wildcats’ three annually scheduled rivalry games will be against Auburn, Tennessee, and Mississippi State, ensuring that these traditional matchups remain a key part of their yearly campaign.

The schedule for the next four seasons brings forth a mix of home and away challenges, with an emphasis on maintaining competitive balance while preserving long-standing rivalries. In addition to their conference matchups, Kentucky will hold onto the Governor’s Cup by continuing their annual clash with Louisville.

Road Challenges and Historic Venues

The 2028 season will see the Wildcats facing a particularly grueling slate of five road games at some of college football’s most storied venues, including Death Valley (LSU), T-Town (Alabama), The Swamp (Florida), Rocky Top (Tennessee), and one additional opponent. This challenging lineup will push the Wildcats to their limits against some of the conference’s toughest environments.

New Opportunities and Power Opponents

Every year under the new scheduling format, the Wildcats will take on one Power Conference opponent. This scheduling structure not only aims to fulfill a rotation requirement but also enhances the level of competition faced by Kentucky. During the upcoming cycle, the Wildcats are set to play a total of 36 different SEC opponents, broadening their exposure within the conference.

Notably, the Texas A&M Aggies will make their first SEC visit to Kentucky in 2028, a highly anticipated matchup considering their last meeting in 2018 ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss for the Wildcats. Additionally, Kentucky’s 2029 schedule will include a home game against Eastern Kentucky, adding to an overall composition of four non-conference FCS opponents within their future schedules.

Non-Conference Matchups

To further bolster their scheduling, Kentucky will host Youngstown State in 2026, Murray State in 2027, and Eastern Illinois in 2028. These non-conference matchups will complement the SEC slate and provide fans with a mix of competitive and entertaining football moving forward.

Conclusion

As the Kentucky Wildcats prepare for the future, the new SEC schedule promises excitement and challenges alike, with strong rivalries and historic venues expected to be evident over the next four years. Fans can anticipate thrilling matchups as the team works to build on its current success and navigate through one of the most competitive conferences in college football.

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Additional Resources

• ESPN: SEC College Football Schedule Release (2026-2029)
• On3: Kentucky Football Future SEC Opponents Revealed (2026-2029)
• FBSchedules: Kentucky Adds Eastern Kentucky to 2029 Football Schedule
• Kentucky.com: UK Basketball Updates
• Wikipedia: Kentucky Wildcats

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