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Lousville Crushes Kentucky in Governor’s Cup Matchup

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Ethan Rand | UK Athletics

Slow Start for Cutter Boley

It was a rough start to the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry for Cutter Boley. The Cards would jump out to a 10-0 lead thanks to a Boley interception. Boly would start 1 for his first six with just nine total yards. Boley wasn’t helped much as the Kentucky offensive line struggles would continue to plague the Cats early in the first half. To close out the first half the freshman quarterback would throw another interception. The throw was in the red zone to halt a potential scoring drive for the Cats.

Louisville Dominates the Opening Half

Louisville running back Issac Brown would punish the Cats on the ground. The Cards would total 149 yards of rushing offense in the first half. The season-long woes of stopping the run proved to be worrisome yet again. Louisville would total 256 yards at the half compared to just 107 for Kentucky. The Cats were held scoreless for the first time all season going into the half.

Offensive Line play still plagues the Cats. The lack of time in the pocket allowed Louisville to win the battle in the trenches against an inferior Kentucky offensive line. The young Kentucky quarterback had an insufficient amount of time to drop back and pass. When provided time Boley did not answer the call. The freshman found himself throwing balls into tight double coverage. The Cats were unable to move the ball against a more dominant Louisville front.

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Wimsatt Provides Spark in the Second Half

Gavin Wimsatt sparked the Wildcats with a much-needed boost. After a targeting call midway through the third quarter sidelined Boley, Wimsatt stepped in and led the Cats on a seven-play scoring drive. He connected with Ja’Mori Maclin in the back of the end zone. The spark faded quickly as Kentucky continued to turn the ball over, resulting in Louisville scoring. Fans found the exits early, as Kroger Field became empty as restlessness occurred.

The Cards thumped the Cats with a final score of 41 to 14. Louisville finished with 358 yards rushing on the night. Kentucky’s rush defense woes were a concern all year.

What Does the Future Hold?

Going into today’s game the future of the Kentucky program was in question. Stoops continues to feel pressure from the fanbase after a pair of lackluster seasons. The Kentucky head coach will be in interesting territory headed into next season. On top of this, former Kentucky assistant John Sumrall continues to be a trending name in national coaching searches.

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Saskatchewan Roughriders Sign Octavious Oxendine to CFL Deal

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UK Athletics

On Wednesday, it was officially announced that former Wildcats defensive lineman Octavious Oxendine agreed to play with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

Oxendine becomes only the fifth player from Kentucky to take their talents up north. Those before him included fellow Roughrider Micah Johnson, Josh Ali of the Calgary Stampeders, Lynn Bowden of the BC Lions and Quandre Mosely Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Radcliff, Kentucky, native played five seasons in Lexington. Making 19 starts in 47 games played, Oxendine recorded 78 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

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In 2024, Oxendine appeared in all 12 games for the Wildcats and made one start against Murray State, finishing his final season with a team-second best four sacks.

A key performance by Oxendine helped Kentucky defeat the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, as the defensive lineman recorded three tackles and a career-high two sacks for a combined 10 yards lost. His first sack came on a third down play, forcing the Rebels to punt, and the second led to Ole Miss letting the clock run out to end the first half.

The standout performance led to Oxendine being named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

In December 2024, Oxendine graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in social work. Additionally, the recent graduate was named the 2025 CATSPY Male Supporting Role Award.  

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Now in green, Oxendine will take the field with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as they are set to kickoff the preseason on Saturday, May 24, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

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Tre’vonn Rybka Signs With Dolphins As Undrafted Free Agent

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John Clay | UK Athletics

Another Cat is heading to the NFL after defensive lineman Tre’vonn Rybka was signed by the Miami Dolphins in undrafted free agency on April 28, shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Rybka, who appeared in 48 games over five seasons with Kentucky, amassed 95 tackles including 5 sacks. As a senior, he started all 12 games, finishing with 34 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.

He now joins a Dolphins defense that used their No. 13 pick in this year’s draft on Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, meaning Rybka will have to compete for a roster spot in a deep defensive front rotation.

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Off the field, Rybka, who was adopted by his grandparents as a child due to his mother’s battle with addiction, is an active member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass. He was awarded the “Big Ambassador of the Year” award in 2024 for his commitment to mentoring and supporting the youth.

His commitment to give back to the community and its youth reflects dedication to make a positive impact both on and off the football field.

Rybka will report to the Dolphins rookie camp on May 9-12, before he officially fights for a spot on the 53-man roster in June.

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Four Wildcats Sign NFL Contracts in Undrafted Free Agency

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UK Athletics

Within just a few hours from the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, four Kentucky Wildcats were picked up in undrafted free agency.

Eli Cox, Marques Cox, Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Zion Childress all signed contracts within an hour of each other, marking a total of six Wildcats moving on to the NFL since April 24.

Two senior offensive linemen, center/guard Eli Cox and tackle Marques Cox, secured undrafted free agent deals with the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, respectively.

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Cox, who started 47 games for Kentucky, was a team captain and earned All-SEC honors in both 2023 and 2024.On the other side of the ball, linebacker Dumas-Johnson and defensive back Childress were brought on by the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.

Dumas-Johnson, who led Kentucky in tackles in 2024, also won back-to-back national championships with Georgia in 2021 and 2022. Childress played in 38 games for the Wildcats, amassing 148 tackles over three seasons.

With rookie minicamps set to begin in May, each player now has an opportunity to prove himself at the next level, looking to make strong first impressions with his new team.

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