KSR GAMEDAY: Kentucky returns to Kroger Field for 2026 spring game

Can you smell it? Can you feel it? This isn’t the fall but we have finally reached some football time in the Bluegrass. On Saturday morning, a new era of Kentucky football will officially begin. The Big Blue Nation and KSR are both ready to rock and roll.

Will Stein will return to Kroger Field for a game for the first time since he was sitting with his parents in high school in section 128. The 36-year-old former Oregon offensive coordinator will be joined by a brand new staff and a roster that has over 30 transfers making their Kentucky debut in front of the fan base. There will be a lot of new displayed this weekend.

The spring game has returned. There will be a different format. The game will not be televised or broadcasted on radio. Fans will need to be in attendance to see the action. KSR will have you covered all day for this April marathon.

Let’s have a Caturday.

Kentucky spring game schedule

Your guide through tomorrow’s Caturday.

*weather permitting pic.twitter.com/1SwHv1uLjZ
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) April 17, 2026

The game officially gets started at 11 a.m. ET. Will Stein posted on social media on Friday to let fans know that there will be some 7-on-7 competition during the warmups. The Big Blue Nation might want to get into the stadium early.

Keep an eye on the weather radar.

Kentucky’s spring game will have a unique scoring system

Kentucky released the details of the intra-squad scrimmage earlier this week. The scoring system is something fans probably won’t be used to.

Points won’t just be awarded for touchdowns, field goals, and extra points. The offense can get two points for conversions from the three-yard line and four points for conversions from the 10-yard line. The defense can also score. A defensive touchdown is still six points, a takeaway is six points, a forced punt is one point, and a three-and-out/turnover on downs is three points.

OFFENSE (Wearing Blue)

Touchdown: 6 points
Field Goal: 3 points
Extra Point: 1 point
Conversions (3-yard line): 2 points
Conversions (10-yard line): 4 points

DEFENSE (Wearing White)

Touchdown: 6 points
Turnover: 6 points
Forced Punt: 1 point
Three-and-Out or Turnover on Downs: 3 points

KSR will have a running score tracker on the live blog and at KSBoard.

Need a ticket? This is what to do

Parking and admittance is free on Saturday. Fans must claim a free ticket before arriving or get one between gates 9 and 10 at Kroger Field. Tailgating will be allowed in the stadium parking lots. I’m sure it will be a bad day to be a beer in the Commonwealth.

11 Personnel previews the Kentucky spring game

Need something to listen to as you get ready for the game? 11 Personnel has you covered. The latest episode previews the spring game and goes in-depth on what quarterback commit Jake Nawrot could bring to the program.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

Pregame Link Dump

Miss any of KSR’s preview coverage this week? You can find it here.

Braxton Van Cleave walks it off at Kentucky Proud Park

Kentucky got another gem from Jaxon Jelkin on Friday night. The ace gave the Wildcats eight innings of two-run ball, but the Bat Cats entered the ninth inning trailing 2-1 in game where Nick Mingione was tossed early. After three consecutive singles to start the frame, a walk-off win seemed inevitable.

That was until Vandy recorded consecutive strikeouts to create a matchup against Braxton Van Cleave. The true freshman was 0-3 on the night and riding a 0-16 slump. The left-handed hitter hadn’t recorded a hit in two months. The drought ended with Kentucky’s biggest knock of the season.

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It was absolute pandemonium at Kentucky Proud Park. Darren Headrick’s radio call was legendary.

BVC (@Braxton_VC) with the blast. @MylesVisionn with the shot! pic.twitter.com/h3Hs03nuIx
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 18, 2026

RECAP: Kentucky 5, Vanderbilt 2

“That’s probably the most exciting moment in my life, right there,” said Van Cleave. “There’s nothing like what I just felt.”

Kentucky (26-10, 8-8) may have gotten the spark that this baseball team needed after a rough stretch that included four consecutive losses in rubber match games. A rubber match might not be needed if UK can take care of business on Saturday. The party will get started early after UK announced that first pitch is being moved to 11 a.m. ET due to inclement weather in the forecast. That means we will have a true double-dip going on at KPP and Kroger Field at the same. UK is asking fans going to the baseball game to park in the purple lot.

🚨UPDATE🚨

Baseball’s first pitch for tomorrow is now scheduled for 11 a.m., the spring football game will keep its scheduled kickoff time at 11 a.m. as well.

Baseball fans park in the purple lot. Football fans can use all other lots around Kroger Field. pic.twitter.com/laygkGgHRp
— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics) April 18, 2026

KSR’s game thread will have you covered throughout the day. A pitching change could be coming after the Wildcats did not include Ben Cleaver in their projected starting rotation ahead of the series against Vanderbilt.

We are still waiting for the next Kentucky basketball commit

Who will be the next player to join Mark Pope‘s 2026-27 roster? We’re not sure yet. The waiting game continues for the next transfer commit.

Furman guard Alex Wilkins, Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman, and Colorado forward Sebastian Rancik are all targets that the Cats are in very serious conversations with following a visit. Will Pope’s staff close on any this weekend?

This is the latest.

The NBA playoffs officially begin

The play-in games were a nice appetizer to the start the NBA playoffs, but everyone is typically ready for them to end as soon as they start. After the final two games on Friday night, the 16 team NBA playoff field is set. The run to 16 wins will officially begin on Saturday.

Four games are on the slate with a triple-header on Amazon Prime. Playoff basketball has finally returned. Immanuel Quickley returns to the playoffs with the Toronto Raptors. Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks could be involved in the most entertaining series of the first round. If it’s not Knicks-Hawks, it will definitely be Minnesota-Denver where Julius Randle and Jamal Murray will face each other in the postseason. Reed Sheppard will appear in his fourth postseason game in prime-time.

The stage is set.