First Down Kentucky: Friday Night Lights and Notes

Hello friends. It’s not the most scenic edition of Friday Night Lights across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but the show must go on. Hopefully, you’re able to enjoy some high school football action. Our intrepid reporters around the state covering the best games, while I try to will Kansas State to a dominant win over Arizona. It should be a fun night of football before Kentucky hosts No. 1 Georgia at Kroger Field. Let’s talk a little more about that and touch on a few other stories happening across college football.

Dry Weather for Kentucky vs. Georgia?

Hurricane Francine dumped water all over the Commonwealth on Friday. Some of that rain is going to hang around for your Saturday tailgate, but it’s not looking too bad at all. There is about a 30% chance of rain throughout the day, but it’s expected to clear up in time for the 7:30 pm kickoff. Accuweather has only a 4% chance of showers by 8 pm Saturday night.

Two Good Things from the Last Kentucky Game

We spent most of the week highlighting everything that went wrong in the loss to South Carolina. It wasn’t all entirely bad.

The passing game didn’t do much at all, but Dane Key‘s 32-yard reception on the near sideline might be the best catch of his career. It’s right up there with his touchdown at Florida as a true freshman. Speaking of freshmen, the Cats might have found someone with some pass-rushing juice. Steven “Sack ‘Em” Soles lived up to his name. It only took him five snaps as a pass rusher to record his first career sack.

I'm still like that. I will forever be #SackemSoles pic.twitter.com/BRzkpjOIjP

— Steven Soles Jr (@6kSteven) September 11, 2024

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Hang with the KSR Crew before Kentucky vs. Georgia!

It’s been a good long while since Kentucky Sports Radio broadcasted from the tailgate lots around Kroger Field. That is where you will find us tomorrow evening at approximately 6 pm EST. We’ll be hanging out in the REVELxp tents at the Cat’s Corner, which is near Gate 1. After the Cat Walk, take a short stroll to the other side of the Nutter Field House and have some fun chopping it up before the Cats host the Dawgs. I chopped it up with SEC Mike this week who put the bottle up and toasted to Mark Stoops.

South Carolina is Looking for a New AD

College Gameday’s surprising trip to Columbia was supposed to take up all the headlines in South Carolina, but Ray Tanner had other plans in mind. The South Carolina athletic director is stepping aside to become a “senior advisor to the President” to fulfill his contract that runs through 2028.

Tanner previously spent 16 seasons as the Gamecocks baseball coach. He guided South Carolina to back-to-back National Championships in 2010-11 before taking an administrative role in 2012.

Auburn Quarterback Benched

Payton Thorne threw an Interception Party at Jordan Hare Stadium last week. Now he’s taking that party to the bench.

After Thorne threw four picks in a 21-14 loss to Cal, Hugh Freeze has made a move. The former Michigan State quarterback has been benched for Hank Brown. The redshirt freshman from Nashville threw two touchdowns in the season-opening win over Alabama A&M. He should be able to ease into that role against New Mexico, but as Freeze has shown us, even the easy wins aren’t easy at Auburn.

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