Alex Afari was "close" but unable to go vs. Vanderbilt. "We'll see" about next week.

Kentucky really could’ve used its star linebacker, Alex Afari Jr., on Saturday. Afari went through warmups before the game and was a game-time decision in Nashville, but he ultimately did not play in the blowout loss. He has been one of Kentucky’s most important defenders this season and the quarterback of the middle of the defense. A versatile piece who can cover, blitz, and steady a secondary that has been battered by injuries for weeks. Afari leads the team in tackles for loss and has the third-most tackles on the team.

After the game, Mark Stoops said Afari is “close” and “trying” but “not quite ready.” That matched what we saw pregame. He stretched, tested himself in warmups with his teammates, and then stayed on the sideline when it became clear he was not healthy enough to go.

Asked if Afari might be available next week for the trip to Louisville, Stoops did not commit.

“We’ll see,” he replied. “You know how that goes.”

Stoops says the Cats are on fumes

Kentucky’s injury situation has become a major concern heading into rivalry week. Several starters and key contributors were either unavailable or limited against Vanderbilt, and the wear and tear of November football showed. Players were shifting positions, young backups were forced into heavy snaps, and the defense never settled in. It looked like a team stretched thin in the final stretch of the regular season.

After the game, Mark Stoops acknowledged the physical toll and the urgency of the week ahead. He said the team has no choice but to regroup quickly with the Governor’s Cup and a potential bowl trip still in play.

“We’re gonna get tested because we’re at the end of the year here,” Stoops said in his postgame comments. “You’re kind of on fumes. There’s some guys definitely hurting, but we have to suck it up and have a great week. And you know, we have to put this one behind us quickly, like I said. There’s a lot to look at, a lot of things that we need to improve on, but we, you know, I’m confident in the team that will respond the right way.”