It always sucks when you can’t have some of your best players out on the field, but that won’t be the case any longer, as Kentucky’s Will Stein confirmed on Tuesday, Sept. 8 that the entire roster will be healthy heading into the team’s matchup with No. 13 Alabama.

“Just a little recap after this past Saturday, (we) came out healthy, which is good,” Stein said. “I’m expecting us to be at full-strength for this game, which is really exciting as well for us as a team.”

Straight forward as ever, this means that the Big Blue Nation will get to see some new faces make their debuts with the Wildcats against the Crimson Tide.

On Sept. 5, Kentucky missed out on Oklahoma transfer running back Jovantae Barnes, who certainly will get a huge workload alongside CJ Baxter and Jason Patterson. Stein has been vocal about how important depth is and this addition does nothing but help that case.

The new-look Wildcats also played without both starting cornerbacks Hasaan Sykes and Terhyon Nichols, making the fans who criticized the secondary a little happier now that they’ll be playing in week two.

Starting offensive tackle Malachi Wood didn’t get the nod to play as well, yet another body that can be added to the Big Blue Wall this coming Saturday.

Of course, history is not on the Wildcats’ side, as they haven’t took down the Crimson Tide since 1997, when Stein was around eight years old for reference. This time around, Stein is the head coach and his team is ready to rock and roll at 100% roster health.

Kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 12 is set for 3:30 p.m. ET from Kroger Field, streaming live on ABC.

With the National Football League (NFL) season days away, numerous Kentucky Wildcat alumni have made the initial 53 man roster for their respective teams. Here’s who Kentucky fans will be watching this season.

Atlanta Falcons

EDGE Za’Darius Smith was named to the Falcons’ initial 53 man roster after stepping away during the 2025 season. Originally with the Philadelphia Eagles, he chose to be with his family after the heartbreaking loss of his mother.

The three-time pro bowler has come back to the NFL and signed with the Atlanta Falcons after sharing that his mom always wanted him to end up in Atlanta.

Buffalo Bills

CB Maxwell Hairston, RB Ray Davis and DL Deone Walker were all named to the Buffalo Bills initial roster. “Mad Max” Hairston, the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, struggled in the NFL preseason, but Bills general manager, Brandon Beane, still has faith in Hairston as he enters his second season in the NFL.

“He had his eyes in the wrong spot, he didn’t bring his feet,” Beane said. “Like there’s a couple technique things. It’s not easy, but he’ll do that. But from everything else, we have a lot of confidence in him.”

With a standout collegiate career with the Wildcats, fans are hoping to see “Mad Max” back on the field with the confidence they know he has.

Carolina Panthers

OL Luke Fortner made the initial roster despite a somewhat concerning preseason, noting that he seemed a step behind. After his outing against Buffalo, he received a low 44.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) across 10 snaps.

Green Bay Packers

CB Carrington Valentine and OL Jager Burton made the cut for the initial 53 man roster with Burton entering his rookie season. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Indianapolis Colts

OL Jalen Farmer and RB Seth McGowan were named to the initial roster, with McGowan earning his spot as the primary backup back behind Jonathan Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Both EDGE Josh Hines-Allen and RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. were named to the Jaguars initial 53 man roster. Hines-Allen is listed as a core defensive end/EDGE and is a large part of their defensive foundation.

Los Angeles Chargers

Veteran EDGE Bud Dupree is entering his 12th NFL season and third with the Chargers. He did not see the field for the preseason, but despite rumors that he would not make the roster, he secured his spot.

New Orleans Saints

Rookie WR Barion Brown made the roster after showing a strong performance in the NFL preseason and training camp. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft after his three seasons at Kentucky and one season at LSU.

New York Giants

CB Dru Phillips was named to the 53 man roster despite a mild right knee sprain during training camp. He missed the early preseason games, but once he returned, he made a strong impact with three solo tackles and two forced fumbles.

Pittsburgh Steelers

CB Brandin Echols made the roster after suffering an ankle injury in training camp. He returned for the final preseason game and ended on a high note after recovering a muffed punt that led to a Steelers touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.

Tennessee Titans

WR Wan’Dale Robinson made the 53 man roster and is expected to operate as the Titans starting slot receiver.

Kentucky Football opened up the 2026 season with a 45-13 win over Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 5 and the electric offense fans have been waiting for was on full display.

This surge included Willie Rodriguez, a junior tight end, who has been a major talking point amongst the Big Blue Nation this offseason. Saturday’s performance showed exactly why this is the case, where Rodriguez recorded four receptions for 48 yards and scored his first touchdown of his junior campaign.

From wishbone formation to lining up in the slot, Rodriguez was all over the field, making splash play after splash play for the Wildcats when they needed it the most.

Rodriguez expressed his excitement about the new offense under Will Stein after the game, stating that the new versatility is a key to success.

“I think there’s just so much that goes into our offense and we have so many different weapons,” Rodriguez said. “I think when we play clean and execute like we did today, a lot of good things can happen from that and we have the players to do – they make the calls, and we make the plays.”

If Kentucky wants to reach their goals and aspirations this season, they will need Rodriguez to continue to prosper in this new-look offense.

Up next, the Wildcats will host the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Sept. 12. The once prestigious program is favored by -10.5 points early and is looking to keep its dominant winning streak against the Wildcats alive. 

Kickoff from Kroger Field is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and will air live on ABC/Disney+. Both “SEC Nation” and “Marty & McGee” will be on-site before the week two conference matchup.