A few notes for Sunday...

First and foremost, congrats are in order for Chuck Hayes. The Rockets announced yesterday that they have extended the former wildcat's contract for the remainder of the season. You just can't say enough about this guy's heart. It's all too evident on the floor this year, that we miss #44 a lot more than we expected. Just goes to show, you can be undersized and possess a jump shot the equivalent of Charles Barkley's golf swing, good things do happen to good people. 

Matt Jones is exactly right (you were expecting differently?) in highlighting the importance of this game. An 'L' today could really throw a monkey wrench into what momentum, if you want to call it that, UK has garnered the last three games. With Florida, UT, and LSU figuring to be very tough outs, the Cats must conquer the 2nd tier SEC clubs, like Arkansas. 

Arkansas Coach Stan Heath has made little secret all week that he plans to pound away down low. With Morris playing D like he's machetti-ing through Costa Rica, Thomas or Woo will have to contribute more than fouls and awkward lay-ups. The saddest stat of the season may have come last week agaisnt Auburn, a team that plays nobody over 6'7. My grandmother, sweet as can be, had as many rebounds as Morris and Thomas, COMBINED. Yep, zero. That has to change, or the Cats will be sharing a flight to MSG with Pitino's squad. 

Arkansas is very athletic, and very long. They are also streaky and impatient. Hopefully Sparks will hit some shots early, because it's going to take his maximum effort to D this team up. 

That being said, every year during the Arkansas game I'm reminded how thankful I am to not have to look at Nolan Richardson anymore. That guy made Larry King look suave, and resembled the alligator in which his boots were made from. 

Quick game notes

Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats had to grind out a win on the road at South Carolina. If history is any indication of what's to come, you should expect another close call when Kentucky hosts Florida Saturday night at Kroger Field.   Kentucky's

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Stoops, Kentucky are no strangers to close calls against Florida

Kentucky escaped the Cockpit in South Carolina to improve to 4-0. The Pin it Deep crew discusses the big win with the SEC's leading wide receiver, hometown hero Wan'Dale Robinson. Highlights from the star-studded edition of Pin it Deep:   The keys

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Pin it Deep: Wan'Dale Robinson and Kentucky is 4-0

Mark Stoops and Kentucky are very familiar with Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. For the 12th season in a row, one of his defenses is an opponent.  The 55-year-old has been a defensive coordinator at four different programs since 2010 --

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Todd Grantham, Florida defense will look to challenge, confuse Kentucky

Saturday's game vs. Florida is already a big one, and Dan Mullen just poured gasoline on Kentucky's fire. During his press conference this afternoon, Mullen was asked about Wan'Dale Robinson, Kentucky's star wide receiver. Even though Robinson leads

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Dan Mullen doesn't know Wan'Dale Robinson's name

The last 18 months for Karl-Anthony Towns have been well-documented. He not only lost his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, to COVID-19 in April 2020, but he also lost six other family members due to the same virus. On top of that, Towns suffered the

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Karl-Anthony Towns lost 50 pounds after contracting COVID-19

Four-star wideout Dane Key has both Kentucky and South Carolina high on his list of prospective schools in his recruitment. Kentucky is the hometown school where his father, Donte, played linebacker in the early-to-mid 1990s; South Carolina the SEC

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Kentucky FaceTimed Dane Key from the postgame locker room celebration

After beating South Carolina, Kentucky is only two wins from bowl eligibility. If the Cats knock off Florida and/or LSU, we can start talking about a very special season. For now, the pundits believe Kentucky will go to a mid-tier bowl, with the

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Kentucky Football Bowl Projections After Week 4

Game times for Saturday, October 9 are out and Kentucky vs. LSU will kick off under the lights at Kroger Field. The game drew the 7:30 p.m. ET slot on SEC Network, meaning the Keeneland-Kentucky Football doubleheader is in play. Start hydrating now.

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Kentucky vs. LSU Game Time Announced

For the second time in the first month of the 2021 Kentucky football season, Luke Fortner is the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.   Fortner anchored a Kentucky offensive line that paved the way for the Wildcats to rush for 230 yards and 5.5 yards

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Luke Fortner named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, Again

The Kentucky Football staff might as well buy a house down the road from Archbishop Moeller High School. The Wildcats already have two Moeller graduates on the current roster with one more committed, but UK could be on the cusp of landing another

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Kentucky WR target Brandon White announcing decision on Oct. 1

Mark Stoops' weekly press conference is about to begin. Watch below as Stoops recaps Kentucky's 16-10 win at South Carolina and previews Saturday's game vs. Florida Gators. Live stream courtesy of UK Sports Video.

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LIVE: Mark Stoops' Pre-Florida Press Conference

Kentucky Football's Week 5 depth chart is now online for anyone interested in the two-deep rotation for the upcoming Florida game.   Mark Stoops revealed this week's new Week 5 depth chart Monday morning with little change from a week ago. Roster

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Kentucky's Week 5 Depth Chart: Florida Game Edition

The mission was accomplished in September. Now Kentucky will have some big-time opportunities in October.  As the calendar turns on Friday, the Wildcats have done their job through four games. Despite playing some ugly football, Kentucky is now 4-0

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KSR Monday Huddle: Gauntlet Time

Two teams are on the move in our Kentucky high school football rankings. Lexington Christian Academy (LCA) and Frederick Douglass are both up two spots after impressive victories. Daviess County and Graves County make their Top 25 debuts.  Kentucky

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Kentucky High School Football Rankings: Week 6

The Monday Morning Offensive Breakdown had to slug through a tough offensive game to watch against South Carolina but we've done it again.  What's interesting is if you watched the game you probably didn't think the Cats offense was very sharp.  And

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Monday Morning Offensive Breakdown (BTI's Rants and Ramblings)

The victory party continues from the weekend on into today's KSR radio show following Kentucky's win at South Carolina. Matt Jones and Ryan Lemond will recap the win in Columbia and give you their early look at the Gators in Week 5.  There is lots

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KSR Show Thread, 9/27: South Carolina Recap, Florida Prep

Kentucky Football enters Florida Week with a perfect 4-0 record for only the second time in the Mark Stoops era. The last and only other time a Stoops-coached Kentucky team was perfect going into Week 5, the season ended with a 10-3 record and the

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KSR Today: Florida Week Things To Know

Week 5 of the college football season already is upon us, which means a third of the season already is gone. (We will pause while you regain your composure.)  There are a lot of important matchups on the first Saturday of October, especially in the

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College football Week 5: The 10 best games this week

There's a big game in Lexington this week, as the No. 9 Florida Gators travel up to Kroger Field for a highly anticipated matchup with SEC East implications. According to Circa Sports, Kentucky opens as an 8-point underdog to the Gators. The

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Kentucky Opens as 8-point Underdogs to Florida

Next weekend's matchup against Florida has a chance to be something special for the Kentucky Football program.   Not only will the 4-0 Wildcats host the Gators in what will be a nighttime kickoff on ESPN at Kroger Field, but both teams will also be

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Kentucky ranked 23rd in updated Coaches Poll

The Cincinnati Reds, after a month of losing and frustration, are showing a little fight once again. It is almost assuredly going to be too little too late. However, the Reds will enter the final week of the season still mathematically in the

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KSReds: Cincinnati Reds Take Three of Four From Nationals

Whichever way you want to look at it, Kentucky football is 4-0 in 2021. While the Wildcats were busy in Columbia, their incoming recruits were busy on the preps gridiron the last few days.  Here’s how future Kentucky football stars spent their

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Kentucky Football Recruits:  How Did They Do This Weekend?

Kentucky outside linebacker J.J. Weaver fully recovered from a torn ACL in roughly nine months, but that's not even the most impressive physical note on the 6-foot-5 ball hawk. The budding sophomore star also has six fully functional fingers on his

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LOOK: J.J. Weaver wears 6-fingered Kentucky glove

Kentucky doesn't beat South Carolina on Saturday evening without a stellar performance from one of the most under-appreciated stars on the roster. Super-senior Matt Ruffolo made three key field goals during UK's 16-10 win over the Gamecocks in what

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Matt Ruffolo's historic consistency saved Kentucky on Saturday

This year's Kentucky football team has made a habit of flipping the narrative. That's been a blessing, as Liam Coen's new-look, run-and-gun style has opened whole new possibilities on offense. It's also been a curse, as the formidable running game