Kentucky vs. Southern Miss: Preview, Point Spread, How To Watch, and More

DrewFranklinKSR

kentucky-southern-miss-how-to-watch — Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky Wildcats (0-0, 0-0) host the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (0-0, 0-0) out of the Sun Belt Conference in the 2024 season opener at Kroger Field. Southern Miss heads to Lexington looking to bounce back from a three-win season a year ago. The visitors from Hattiesburg may have some confidence from their school’s recent history against Kentucky. In 2016, Southern Miss traveled to Lexington and stole the season opener, beating Kentucky 44-35. Kentucky, led by Drew Barker at quarterback, jumped out to a 35-10 lead before the Wildcats surrendered 34 unanswered points in a shocking loss. A year later, Southern Miss played Kentucky within a touchdown in Mississippi in the 2017 rematch.

The programs have gone in separate directions ever since, and today, expectations are much higher for the Wildcats, a heavy favorite to beat the Golden Eagles in Game 1 of 2024.

How To Watch/Listen

Kickoff: 7:55 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network (Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic)
Watch college football games live – try Fubo for free! Click HERE NOW.
Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel)
- AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
- FM: 98.1 WBUL
- Online: iHeart Radio
Sirius XM: 106 or 190
Live Stats: UKAthletics.com

Join The Discussion over at KSBoard

Consider joining the conversation on KSBoard if you want to interact with the KSR crew during the game. A live discussion can be found in the game thread, plus several other topics and conversations about the Wildcats and more.

Week 1 Depth Charts

KENTUCKY

SOUTHERN MISS

Injury Report

KENTUCKY

Chip Trayanum (RB) – Kentucky’s starting running back is out for at least Game 1 with a hand injury suffered in training camp.
Hardley Gilmore (WR) – Out indefinitely with a training camp injury.
Courtland Ford (OT) – Out indefinitely with an unspecified injury.
Josaih Hayes (DL) – Out for the season with a torn Achilles suffered in the spring.
Tavion Gadson (DL) – Out for the season.
Darrion Henry-Young (DL) – Out for the season.
Josh Kattus (TE) – Expected to play after missing camp with an undisclosed injury

SOUTHERN MISS

Uniform Combination

Kentucky will wear its traditional look of blue helmets, blue jerseys, and white pants for the first game of the season.

Game one threads 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/iOuYajSI2Y
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) August 30, 2024

Five Pregame Storylines

Brock Vandagriff’s first career start

The Brock Vandagriff era begins Saturday night. The former backup QB at Georgia has command of Kentucky’s offense after transferring from Athens to Lexington, where there is a widespread belief that the Wildcats will go as far as Vandagriff can take them. The first-time starter is the most significant question mark on the team.

A new offensive coordinator in Lexington, again

Kentucky’s new QB has a new offensive coordinator, Bush Hamdan, calling plays for the first time at the SEC level. Hamdan was hired away from Boise State to replace Liam Coen as Kentucky’s OC, the fifth coordinator change in five seasons for UK’s offense.

Replacing Chip

Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and true freshman Jason Patterson were tasked with filling Chip Trayanum’s shoes in the backfield. Sumo-Karngbaye has some experience playing running back at UK. Last season, the NC State transfer carried the ball 20 times for 139 yards and one touchdown. He also caught 14 balls for 69 yards and a receiving touchdown.

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Jamarion Wilcox, a redshirt freshman, will likely get looks among the running back uncertainty. Quarterbacks Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt may also add to the ground game with Hamdan calling the shots from the booth.

New LED lights

Kentucky’s home atmosphere received a significant upgrade over the summer with the installation of new LED lighting. The football scheduling gods celebrated by giving Kentucky’s home opener a nighttime kickoff so the Big Blue Nation and the Wildcats won’t have to wait to experience it.

Kentucky recently practiced under the new LED lights at Kroger Field. Mark Stoops said it was just one way to get the Cats ready for Game 1.

“We did put them on at times so they wouldn’t see it for the first time in the game.”

🔗 https://t.co/fq8xdwrjCA

🎥: @UKAthletics pic.twitter.com/Udqmm3ygCu
— KSR (@KSRonX) August 27, 2024

Revenge game

It’s been nearly a decade since Southern Miss ruined Opening Day in 2016 by scoring 34 unanswered points to upset the Wildcats in Lexington. The Golden Eagles’ come-from-behind victory was the biggest comeback in school history.

The present-day Wildcats don’t remember the game, so it didn’t make the team’s bulletin board in the locker room. Still, the fans remember.