Kentucky will play Eastern Illinois in 2028, per report

Get out your calendars, BBN, because we’ve got some VERY important Kentucky Football scheduling news to pass along. According to FBSchedules.com, Kentucky will host Eastern Illinois on September 30, 2028. So, if you have any plans for that Saturday six years from now, cancel them so you can see the Wildcats take on the Panthers, who play in the OVC in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools in football. Per the contract FBSchedules.com obtained from Eastern Illinois, Kentucky will pay the Panthers $650,000 for coming to Kroger Field. Believe it or not, this is the third non-conference opponent we know of in the 2028 season thus far. Kentucky will travel north to play the Toledo Rockets to open the season on September 2, 2028, and close out the season, per usual, with Louisville. With further expansion in the SEC likely on the horizon, of course, it is best to keep these plans in pencil in your day planner.

Kentucky’s Future Non-Conference Opponents

All reported dates per FBSchedules.com.

2022

• 09/03 – Miami (Ohio)
• 09/17 – Youngstown State
• 09/24 – Northern Illinois
• 11/26 – Louisville

2023

• 09/02 – Ball State
• 09/09 – Eastern Kentucky
• 09/16 – Akron
• 11/25 – at Louisville

2024

• 08/31 – at Akron
• 09/21 – Ohio
• 11/16 – Murray State
• 11/30 – Louisville

2025

• 08/30 – Toledo
• 09/13 – Eastern Michigan
• 11/29 – at Louisville

2026

• 09/05 – Akron
• 09/19 – Youngstown State
• 09/26 – South Alabama
• 11/28 – Louisville

2027

• 09/04 – Toledo
• 09/18 – Murray State
• 09/25 – Ball State
• 11/27 – at Louisville

2028

• 09/02 – at Toledo
• 11/25 – Louisville

2029

• 09/01 – Georgia Southern
• 11/24 – at Louisville

2030

• 11/30 – Louisville