This past Saturday, Will Stein and the Wildcats won their fourth SEC game on the year, pushing them to be tied for first in the conference rankings. This is the first time in a long while that Kentucky has been on top of the SEC, so there must be something special about Will Stein’s program this year.

During his postgame press conference, Stein spoke on the resilience of this year’s team, saying that it isn’t just about “getting the right players” but it’s important to have players who “love playing for their university.”

He spoke highly of his players for being “bought” into the program, making it clear that because of the NIL money being offered to players that it was of upmost importance for this team to have players that play for each other, not the check.

“In the age of portal, rev share and NIL, a lot of guys aren’t typically bought in to the program they play for,” Stein said. “That’s something that we made sure that we got, we got guys in this program that love playing football for their team, for their university, for Kentucky.”

One reporter asked Stein if the “DNA” of the team was to “fight back and stay true to the next play,” something that Stein had said earlier in the year.

He answered with confidence, stating that “connection is their number one DNA trait.”

Stein has had a huge focus on the chemistry revolving around the football program, spending a lot of time talking about the relationship between the players and the BBN fanbase, and it seems to be working out just fine, especially given their 6-1 record.

The No. 12 ranked Wildcats return to Kroger Field on Saturday, Oct. 24 with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, set to face the unranked Vanderbilt Commodores. Can the Wildcats move to 7-1 on the season with yet another conference win?

Entering week eight, Kentucky holds a 6-1 overall record and is single-handedly changing the conversation for who the best team in the SEC really is. Three of the Wildcats’ six wins have been on the road, giving the program a new identity and fans a reason to believe that this season truly may be different from years past.

At the beginning of the season, football fans saw Kentucky as lucky, viewing the Wildcats as underdogs who pulled off a fluke upset.

However, just a few weeks later, Kentucky had quickly proven itself as SEC contenders. The entire nation, slowly, started to see that Stein is building something far different than what the football world imagined in Lexington and is turning the program into an elite one.

Winning on the road in the SEC takes serious competitiveness, with the elite opposing talent and electric stadiums often challenging the athletes’ focus away from home. This would be far from the truth for the blue and white.

In week three, Kentucky defeated No. 9 Texas A&M by a score of 31-21, totaling for 408 yards. 87 of those yards came on the ground from running back CJ Baxter, who was a major asset in taking down the Aggies on the road.

Baxter has delivered incredible performances this season, becoming a notable watchlist candidate for 2026 Comeback Player of the Year. He was named as the National Comeback Player of the Week on September 23.

In week five, Stein’s team earned their second road win, overcoming a 17-0 deficit to defeat South Carolina in overtime. The programs’ largest road comeback ever lit up Lexington after Stein chose to try the two-point conversion, a trend that would remain a staple as this season continues to gone on.

Outside linebacker Sam Greene made a major impact, forcing multiple turnovers that instantly stalled the Gamecocks’ drives and allowing Kentucky to claw back.

Kentucky wideout Kenny Darby earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week on the offensive side of the ball, recording 12 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown.

In week seven, the Wildcats survived on the road, relying on yet another second-half surge to propel them over their opponent. They escaped Norman, OK with a 21-13 win over the Oklahoma Sooners, which helped them reach No. 12 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.

The defensive standouts included defensive back Jordan Castell, who delivered arguably the biggest play of the game on a 41-yard pick-six touchdown. Additionally, senior defensive back Ty Bryant had two interceptions, one when Kentucky trailed 13-7 that helped flip the momentum for the Wildcats’ comeback.

This team is different – a statement win against A&M to show Kentucky’s deadly offense, followed by a comeback against South Carolina showing the Wildcats have no quit. The Oklahoma win showed that Stein and his team could adapt to a different kind of game where defense was the main priority.

Kentucky has two more road games left on the schedule, both likely to be ranked matchups when it comes time for kickoff. The Cats will face Tennessee in Knoxville on Saturday, Nov. 7 and will face Missouri in Columbia on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Start times have not yet been set for these matchups, but no matter what time of day these teams face off against Kentucky, the Big Blue Nation will watch eagerly to see if their team can remain undefeated on the road.

There has been plenty of discussion over the past few years about expanding the current, and very liked, 12-team playoff format to a 24-team field. This past week, that discussion became a little more realistic, with ESPN reaching a “handshake agreement” to broadcast the 24-team playoff starting as early as next season.

This change would affect the entire college football landscape, including one of the best teams in the SEC this season with the Kentucky Wildcats.

Under the current format, conference championships have already lost value, especially when both teams playing in the game are already safely in the playoffs. Increasing to 24 teams also means that the season’s length will change.

Beginning in 2027 (if the format goes through), the season will be moved up a week, adding fuel to the fire and making this proposal quite a heated debate in the college football world.

One of the things that makes the sport so special is the high-stakes games in October and November that can decide the rest of a team’s season. With a 24-team playoff, those top-15 matchups will no longer carry such stakes, with programs just needing to be recognized as a top-24 team rather than a top-12 team.

On the other hand, more programs will be able to be in the spotlight, with the new format including a total of 19 at-large bids, each Power Four regular season conference champion and the highest-ranked group of six teams.

What does this mean for Will Stein and Kentucky though? Well, Stein has came in and made the Wildcats a top contender in the SEC in just seven weeks, with his team currently tied at the top of the conference alongside Georgia.

As it stands, with the 24-team format, the Cats would be seeded as the No. 12 team in playoffs, squaring off against No. 21 Boise State at home.

Could you imagine that BBN? A home college football playoff game at Kroger Field for the first time ever would be unbelievable this early in the Stein era.

This reality may come sooner than expected, with the Wildcats currently sitting at No. 12 in the AP Top 25 Poll, meaning they would be in the playoff field if the season ended today.

Kentucky is in control of its own destiny the rest of the way, with several ranked matchups remaining on the schedule. Up next, before their bye week, the Wildcats will square off against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Oct 24. Kickoff from Kroger Field is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network.