Two-sport star? Mo Dioubate is ready to play RB at Kentucky: 'Not a bad take.'

It’s a tricky time for Big Blue Nation with the highs of Kentucky basketball overlapping with the lows of football in this bittersweet crossover period. Fans were on cloud nine Friday night coming off the double-digit win over No. 1 Purdue at Rupp Arena, only to get shot down from the sky with the 22-point loss to Tennessee at Kroger Field on Saturday.

Maybe Mo Dioubate can make you feel better about both? The junior forward is ready to throw on some shoulder pads and a helmet to help the football Cats get back in the win column against SEC competition.

Remember Dante Dowdell’s Superman dives toward the goal line in the team’s heartbreaking loss vs. Texas last week? Knowing his ability to power through defenders on the hardwood, the 6-7, 220-pound forward is confident he could’ve done the same in overtime to find the end zone and potentially lead Kentucky to a win.

“Mo Dioubate would have converted that 4th and 1 last week vs Texas,” one fan tweeted.

“this not a bad take,” the Alabama transfer responded.

this not a bad take 🫨😭 https://t.co/9cHygFdkzC

— Mouhamed Dioubate ® (Mo D) (@MoDioubate) October 26, 2025

Obviously not a slight toward Dowdell for not scoring a touchdown on his attempts or even the current state of Kentucky football, for that matter — he’s too focused on hanging banner No. 9 for the basketball team to worry about that. But it’s fair to say he’s confident in his own abilities, what he’s able to do on the court translating to the field.

He put that on full display against Purdue, finishing with eight points on 4-7 shooting to go with a team-high nine rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist in 19 minutes. Dioubate can bring the ball up the floor, initiate, bang down low and defend multiple positions with the best of them.

Why couldn’t he punch it in the end zone from a couple of inches out?

That confidence is why Mark Pope brought him to Lexington — and why you’ll be rooting for him this season as a Wildcat.

“I do think there’s going to be a lot of BBN that Mo Dioubate is their favorite player,” Pope said after the Purdue win. “I mean, he just plays with all his guts spilling out all over the floor. He just plays hard, he just plays hard. He’s got a lot of fans in my own family right now, they say, ‘We love this Mo Dioubate,’ and I do too. I thought he was great tonight.”

We know he’ll be ready Thursday when the Wildcats take on Georgetown to wrap up the exhibition schedule. Can he join the football squad on the Plains to help Kentucky beat Auburn on Saturday?