Kentucky Football Axes Akron Road Trip in 2024

You can scratch a trip to the Rubber Bowl off of your Labor Day calendar in 2024. The Kentucky football program is switching up its non-conference schedule.

Kentucky will no longer travel to Akron to open the 2024 football season. According to FBS Schedules, there has been a schedule flip. The Zips will travel to Ohio State and the Buckeyes’ previously scheduled opponent, Southern Miss, will serve as Kentucky’s opener at Kroger Field.

MAC teams have been a part of the regular rotation throughout the Mark Stoops era. Hailing from the conference’s footprint in Youngstown, Stoops is 10-0 against MAC teams.

This late move is not unprecedented. Kentucky previously was scheduled to make a road trip to the Glass Bowl as a part of a three-game series with Eastern Michigan. After playing the Eagles a couple of times at home, UK bought out the return trip to Ypsilanti for an extra home game.

In a fun twist of fate, the last time Kentucky played a Group of Five opponent in a true road game, it was against next year’s replacement opponent. The Cats were stunned in a comeback from Shannon Dawson and co. to kickoff the 2016 season. The following year Kentucky got some revenge against Southern Miss during a steamy Saturday in Hattiesburg with a 24-17 victory. This will be the first time the teams have met since. The Wildcats lead the overall series 3-1.

Even though I’m sure many of you are disappointed to cancel a holiday weekend trip to watch Joe Moorhead at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field, there is a consolation prize. Kentucky will have eight home games at Kroger Field in 2024. A successful home campaign is just what this program needs to correct course after a disappointing 2023.

2024 Kentucky Football Opponents

We do not have dates set for every game. That will likely happen in December. However, we do know who and where the Wildcats will play next fall.

Non-Conference
Aug. 31: vs. Southern Miss
Sept. 21: vs. Ohio
Nov. 16: vs. Murray State
Nov. 30: vs. Louisville

SEC Opponents (TBD)
at Florida
at Ole Miss
at Texas
at Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Georgia
South Carolina
Auburn

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