We are Randall Cobb days away from Kentucky Football’s season opener vs. Toledo. Speaking of the Rockets, did you see they received votes in the AP Preseason Poll? Seven AP voters included Toledo on their ballots, with one (Pete Yanity from Spartanburg, South Carolina) ranking the Rockets as high as No. 21. College Gameday host […]
We are Randall Cobb days away from Kentucky Football’s season opener vs. Toledo. Speaking of the Rockets, did you see they received votes in the AP Preseason Poll? Seven AP voters included Toledo on their ballots, with one (Pete Yanity from Spartanburg, South Carolina) ranking the Rockets as high as No. 21. College Gameday host Rece Davis had them at No. 25. As if we needed another reminder that Kentucky’s first opponent is no cupcake, right?
Football is one of several items on today’s rundown. Let’s get to it.
We’ll hear from both coordinators after practice
Tuesdays are usually offense day at fall camp, with Bush Hamdan and offensive players and coaches speaking to the media. Kentucky is shaking the schedule up this week. Today, we’ll hear from both Hamdan, defensive coordinator Brad White, and select players after practice wraps around lunchtime.
Saturday’s scrimmage will likely be a major topic. I’m sure Hamdan will be asked about Seth McGowan and Dante Dowdell, Kentucky’s top two running backs, sitting out the scrimmage for load management purposes. The Cats avoided any major injuries on Saturday — a blessing — but the staff has also preached the importance of physicality this offseason. That could be a balancing act as the season opener approaches.
Nick Roush is at practice and will bring you the coordinators’ and players’ comments early this afternoon. While you wait, check out the latest episode of KSR Happy Hour, in which Adam Luckett shared his top takeaway from the scrimmage and Anwar Stewart’s strong words about the “Debbie Downers” picking Kentucky to only win four games this season.
Champions Blue Board of Governors meeting
Before practice, Roush will be at Kroger Field to fill you in on what happens at the Champions Blue LLC Board of Governors meeting. Earlier this year, UK Athletics moved the department to the holding company to create a more flexible model in the revenue-sharing era. One of Champions Blue’s priorities is growing new revenue streams. A few of those projects, such as the new BBN United subscription fan club, are already underway. We may also get an update on the potential entertainment district outside Kroger Field and the $36 million worth of improvements to the stadium.
There are seven people on the Champions Blue Board of Governors and two non-voting members:
- Dr. Eli I. Capilouto (Chair) – UK President
- Dr. Eric N. Monday – Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
- Dr. George C. Wright – Senior Advisor to the President
- Dr. Robert L. Edwards – Vice President and Chief Strategy and Growth Officer
- Shannon Arvin – President and Chief Executive Officer, Keeneland
- Jacob Tamme – Former Kentucky Football player and current financial advisor
- Chris Prindiville – Former Nike executive and SVP of Fanatics
- Mitch Barnhart (non-voting, ex-officio member) – UK Director of Athletics
- Paul Archey (non-voting, advisory member) – President, JMI Sports Properties
ICYMI, Kentucky Basketball’s schedule is complete
Aside from the crazy story Drew Franklin told about stealing a car on KSR Happy Hour, the biggest news on Monday was the finalization of Kentucky Basketball’s 2025-26 schedule. The Cats announced three new non-conference games as part of the inaugural BBN United Tipoff Classic: Nicholls (Nov. 4, season opener), Valparaiso (Nov. 7), and Eastern Illinois (Nov. 14). Kentucky’s game at Louisville on Nov. 11 will break up the multi-team event, a nice piece of steak in the middle of some cupcakes.
I imagine Jack Pilgrim and Shawn Smith will discuss the schedule on a new episode of Sources Say tonight (8 p.m. ET, KSR YouTube Channel), along with some basketball recruiting news. On Monday, four-star forward Maximo Adamsset his official visits for the fall. He’ll come to Kentucky the weekend of Sept. 5-6. In an interview with Jacob Polacheck on KSR+, the 6’7″, 200 lbs. small forward opened up about his relationship with UK’s coaching staff. His older brother Marcus played for Mark Pope at BYU during the 2023-24 season.
“It was great. Coach Pope is a great coach. He and his staff treat their players well. He treated my brother well,” he said. “It was really shocking.”
NBA drops sneak peeks of 2025-26 schedule
The NBA will announce its full schedule on Thursday, but this morning, the league drummed up excitement by teasing a handful of games on Good Morning America and the TODAY Show. The highlights so far:
- Opening week doubleheaders:
- Tuesday, Oct. 21 (NBC/Peacock): Houston Rockets at OKC Thunder, Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
- Wednesday, Oct. 22 (ESPN): Cleveland Cavaliers at NY Knicks, San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
- Thursday, Oct. 23 (ESPN): OKC Thunder at Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
- Five games on Christmas on ABC/ESPN:
- Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
- San Antonio Spurs at OKC Thunder
- Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
- Four games on MLK Day on NBC/Peacock:
- Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks
- OKC Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dallas Mavericks at NY Knicks
- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
New episode of Hard Knocks
It’s Tuesday, which means we’ve got a new episode of Hard Knocks to look forward to tonight (9 p.m. ET, HBO). The Buffalo Bills are the subject of this year’s series, and former Cats Maxwell Hairston and Ray Davisalready got some screentime in the debut last week. I have a feeling Davis will be featured even more this week after kicking an extra point in the Bills’ preseason game over the weekend. Add his role as surprise backup kicker to his inspirational story about growing up in the foster system and infectious personality, and a Hard Knocks star is about to be born.
Happy birthday, Antoine Walker and Gerald Fitch
We’ll wrap up today by saying Happy Birthday to two stars of the Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith eras. Antoine Walker turns 49 years young today, while Gerald Fitch turns 43. Let’s celebrate by doing a shimmy, popping our Kentucky jerseys, and watching this clip of Walker talking about how the 1996 Kentucky team was the best in college basketball history.
Antoine Walker said that the ’96 Kentucky team is the best team in college basketball history.
— Mario A Maitland (@MarioMaitland_3) January 19, 2025: @club520podcastpic.twitter.com/6pkMwo9XQh
Category: General Sports
