KSR Today: On to Eastern Michigan

by: Drew Franklin09/08/25DrewFranklinKSR

kentucky-eastern-michigan — UK RB A.J. Rose dives for a touchdown during the University of Kentucky football game against Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, September 7, 2019.

Good morning, Cats fans. The weekend didn’t go Kentucky’s way at Kroger Field, but there’s no time to dwell. A new week is here, and so is a new opponent. The Wildcats will look to bounce back on Saturday when Eastern Michigan visits Lexington for the first night game of the season, and the focus officially shifts to that matchup starting today.

Mark Stoops will take the podium for his weekly Monday press conference this afternoon, offering his first comments since the postgame press conference on Saturday and laying out what comes next as Kentucky tries to get back on track. We’ll start there with today’s headlines as we begin a new week in the Bluegrass.

Monday with Mark Stoops

Monday Press Conference
Mark Stoops will hold his weekly press conference later today to share the latest around Kentucky Football since Saturday’s loss. Stoops will likely have an update on his injured quarterback, Zach Calzada, and the QB situation heading into the Eastern Michigan game.

Stoops also had all of Sunday to review the ugly film from the loss to Ole Miss. He’ll disclose more of his thoughts on Kentucky’s execution and the operational issues on Saturday, most noticeably on the offensive side of the ball. Stick with KentuckySportsRadio.com for all of Stoops’ Monday comments.

Mark Stoops Call-In Show
Tonight, Stoops will sit down with Tom Leach for his Monday evening call-in show. Tune in from 6-7 p.m. on the UK Sports Network for another round of comments from Stoops and conversations with his radio listeners.

A new KSR Football Podcast at 2 p.m.

A new KSR Football Podcast will also pick up the pieces from Kentucky’s loss to Ole Miss. Nick Roush, Adam Luckett, and Van Hiles will recap Saturday’s game with a list of takeaways, then turn toward the future with a preview of Week 3 and the latest around the quarterback situation. Watch live on KSR’s YouTube channel at 2 p.m. or catch the audio version in podcast form.

Change the game with Rhoback, a proud partner of KSR. Get the best fit and the best feel with their incredibly comfortable activewear. From polos and q-zips to shorts and delta performance pants, you will look good and feel good with Rhoback. Use promo code KSR for 20% off your first purchase at Rhoback.com.

Kentucky helped Ole Miss climb three spots in new AP Top 25

By beating Kentucky in Lexington, Ole Miss climbed to No. 17 in the new AP Top 25, while Kentucky did not receive any votes. Imagine that.

Up top, No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State, and No. 3 LSU stayed put in the top three, followed by new No. 4 Oregon, up two spots from sixth, and then No. 5 Miami. Georgia fell from No. 4 to No. 6.

Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning

By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

Ohio State
Penn State
LSU
Oregon
Miami
Georgia
Texas
Notre Dame
Illinois
Florida State
South Carolina
Clemson
Oklahoma
Iowa State
Tennessee
Texas A&M
Ole Miss
USF
Alabama
Utah
Texas Tech
Indiana
Michigan
Auburn
Missouri

Kentucky still has five ranked teams on the remaining schedule.

Kentucky-Ole Miss Link Dump

Before we close the book on the Kentucky-Ole Miss game, make sure you’re caught up on KSR’s top football stories from the aftermath.

Former Wildcats in the NFL

The first NFL Sunday of the new season took our minds off of Kentucky Football yesterday, ending with a thriller in Buffalo on Sunday Night Football. Still, we check in on some of the former Wildcats after their first games.

Wan’dale Robinson caught six passes for 51 yards for the Giants in a loss to the Commanders. Dru Phillips made four tackles for New York.
A surprise to fantasy owners, Chris Rodriguez Jr. did not play for Washington. The former Kentucky running back was a late scratch, ruled inactive despite being healthy.
After watching Kentucky vs. Toledo in Lexington last weekend, Ray Davis saw limited time for Buffalo in the Bills’ comeback win over Baltimore. Davis finished with a catch and a carry for a total of one yard.
Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace made five solo tackles in a loss to the Jaguars.
Liam Coen won his first game as an NFL head coach, beating Carolina after a weather delay in Duuuval.

Vikings-Bears on Monday Night Football

Week 1 of the NFL isn’t quite done yet. Tonight, Minnesota heads to Chicago for the first Monday Night Football of the season, live from Soldier Field. The Vikings are a slight betting favorite on the road in the NFC North rivalry game. It kicks off at ABC/ESPN at 8:20 p.m.

Listen to “NFL Cover Zero” for a Week 1 recap

Matt Jones and I were in the iHeart studio late last night for a new episode of “NFL Cover Zero,” a new NFL podcast in the style of KSR. We recorded and then re-recorded as the Bills and Ravens wrapped up the Sunday night game, sharing takeaways and other nonsense from the first Sunday of the season. Find the Week 1 recap episode and subscribe to the podcast here.

Need Collin Chandler highlights?

Mark Pope tweeted and deleted three clips from Kentucky’s practice. KSR captured the video so we can watch it over and over again.

Mark Pope leaking Collin Chandler practice highlights on social media?

Yes, please!

🎥: @CoachMarkPope pic.twitter.com/5o5XnyBq44
— KSR (@KSRonX) September 7, 2025

Mark Pope posted a trio of Collin Chandler practice highlights that you need to see

KSR will be live from Woodson Bend

Today is the KSR Somerset Golf Scramble at Woodson Bend Resort in Bronston, Kentucky. The show is closed to the public as it is live from the golf course before the tournament tees off. You can tune in via the KSR radio network from 10 a.m. to noon for a recap of Kentucky’s loss to Ole Miss and lots more.

Go Cats, and have a great Monday. Lots of football news ahead so check back soon.