UK Fans of the Day Want Friday Evening Notes

The day after Christmas is always a slow one, but especially so when it falls on a Friday, Kentucky Basketball is on a 10-day break, and the Kentucky Football team isn’t bowling. Regardless, we’re keeping the machine running here at KSR headquarters. Shoutout to Pat Kelsey’s daughter for getting him a UK license plate holder. That was some unexpected and great content.

Before it’s quitting time (not that many of you are working today), here are some late afternoon/evening notes on the Cats and more.

Ty Bryant coming back is big news

The one piece of actual news we’ve had today is that defensive back Ty Bryant will return to Kentucky for his senior season. The Lexington native led Kentucky in tackles (76) and interceptions (four) in 2025, the latter also an SEC high. He was Kentucky’s lone representative on the All-SEC teams, earning a second-team nod. As such, Bryant likely had plenty of offers from other big programs, but he’s staying put, huge news for Will Stein and new defensive coordinator Jay Bateman.

Obviously, from a football standpoint, Bryant’s return is big. He was an impact player last season and a vocal team leader, two huge pluses in a rebuilding season; however, I’m also glad he’s staying put to continue the Bryant legacy. Ty’s father, Cisco, played for Jerry Claiborne in the 1980s, and the family is Kentucky blue all the way through, proud staples at the Cat Walk in their custom Ty Bryant gear. It would have been weird to see them wear another team’s colors. That’s why they are our fans of the day.

Reminder: The Transfer Portal opens in one week

Bryant’s news is also a reminder that the transfer portal opens one week from today, Friday, January 2. So, it may seem quiet now, but late next week, it will be anything but as player announce their plans to enter the portal and we find out who Will Stein and his staff are targeting.

So far, just five Wildcats from the 2025 season have announced their plans to enter the portal next Friday:

• WR Preston Bowman
• WR David Washington Jr.
• QB Stone Saunders
• EDGE Steven Soles
• EDGE Landyn Watson

There will be more. For now, just be happy one of the biggest stars on defense isn’t among them.

Make sure you are LOCKED IN for Transfer Portal SZN. Join KSR+ for just $1 to get bonus coverage of the Cats, including the latest recruiting and roster intel.

Happy birthday, Denzel Aberdeen!

One Kentucky Wildcat is celebrating a birthday today. Denzel Aberdeen just turned 22. The Florida transfer is celebrating in his hometown of Orlando with his mom and dog, fresh off hitting four threes in Kentucky’s win over Bellarmine. Kentucky Women’s Basketball star Clara Strack made their relationship official when she wished him a happy birthday on Instagram late last night. Love and Basketball is real, folks.

So many bowl games on Saturday

Bowl season hit a bit of a lull during Christmas, but it picks back up in a big way tomorrow. The Pop-Tarts Bowl is the star of the slate, with No. 22 Georgia Tech taking on No. 12 BYU at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. That’s a good matchup, but even better will be the postgame ceremony, which will feature SIX edible Pop-Tart mascots, three on Team Sprinkles and three on Team Swirls. Fans will be able to vote on which mascot team will be sacrificed to “Mouth Heaven” at the end of the game, a can’t-miss moment.

Here are some highlights from last year as we count down.

Also on tomorrow’s schedule: two SEC teams in action, Missouri vs. No. 19 Virginia in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and LSU vs. No. 21 Houston in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl. Lane Kiffin isn’t coaching LSU in the latter one, but I’m sure he’ll be a big topic. Penn State vs. Clemson in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl should be fun, too.

Time (ET)	Matchup	Bowl Game / Location	TV / Streaming	BetMGM Odds
11:00 AM	Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. East Carolina (8-4)	Go Bowling Military Bowl Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD	ESPN	PITT -10.5 O/U 53.5
12:00 PM	Penn State (6-6) vs. Clemson (7-5)	Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY	ABC	CLEM -2.5 O/U 48.5
2:15 PM	UConn (9-3) vs. Army (6-6)	Wasabi Fenway Bowl Fenway Park, Boston, MA	ESPN	ARMY -7.5 O/U 42.5
3:30 PM	No. 22 Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. No. 12 BYU (11-2)	Pop-Tarts Bowl Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL	ABC	BYU -4 O/U 56.5
4:30 PM	Miami (OH) (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4)	Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ	The CW Network	FRES -5.5 O/U 41.5
5:45 PM	No. 25 North Texas (11-2) vs. San Diego State (9-3)	Isleta New Mexico Bowl University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM	ESPN	UNT -6.5 O/U 53.5
7:30 PM	No. 19 Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4)	TaxSlayer Gator Bowl EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL	ABC	MIZ -4 O/U 44.5
9:15 PM	LSU (7-5) vs. No. 21 Houston (9-3)	Kinder’s Texas Bowl NRG Stadium, Houston, TX	ESPN	HOU -1.5 O/U 42.5

The Snoop Dogg Netflix NFL Halftime Show was awesome

Miami (OH) plays Fresno State in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, further proof there’s nothing Snoop Dogg can’t (or won’t) do these days. Of course Snoop has his own bowl game now, just two days after performing the halftime show during Netflix’s NFL Christmas game.

If you missed it, do yourself a favor and go back and watch. From Martha Stewart introducing him by reading a version of “T’was The Night Before Christmas” to three dogs to Snoop performing his hits and cameos from Lainey Wilson, HUNTR/X (K-Pop Demon Hunters), Andrea & Matteo Bocelli, and funk icon George Clinton, it was an absolute delight.

Snoop Dogg half time show pic.twitter.com/H85NiYOBpg

— .MP4 (@mp4towatch) December 25, 2025

See you next year!

This is my last post before heading to the Western North Carolina mountains for some rest and relaxation. As mentioned, we don’t get 10-day breaks between men’s basketball games this time of year very often (especially when Kentucky isn’t playing in a bowl game), so I’m seizing on the chance to unplug a bit. I’ll be back on January 1 to help get the site rolling as the rest of the crew sleeps off their New Year’s Eve hangovers. Until then, they’ve got you covered.