Kentucky came up short 30-23 to No. 20 Ole Miss Saturday afternoon at Kroger Field.
The Wildcats (1-1) have eight straight losses in SEC home openers. They are 2-11 in their last 13 SEC home games.
Check out all the postgame notes from today’s loss:
KENTUCKY FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES
NO. 20/14 OLE MISS at KENTUCKY
KROGER FIELD – LEXINGTON, KY.
SEPT. 6, 2025
FINAL SCORE: No. 20/14 Ole Miss 30, Kentucky 23
Team Records and Series Information
Kentucky is 1-1 overall and Ole Miss is 2-0.
This was the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Ole Miss leads the all-time series, 31-15-2, which began in 1937.
Ole Miss narrowly leads the series in Lexington, 12-11-1.
UK is now 5-11 all-time against Ole Miss when the Rebels are ranked, including 3-4 in home games.
Each of the last five games between the teams has been decided by a touchdown or less.
Next Game
Kentucky completes its three-game homestand Saturday, Sept. 13 by playing host to Eastern Michigan. The game time is 7:30 p.m. ET and it will be televised on ESPNU.
Team Notes
Kentucky went 4-of-5 in the red zone, improving to 7-of-8 through Week 2.
The only miss came on a turnover on downs when the Wildcats were trying to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
Kentucky rushed for 172 yards today, first time the Wildcats have rushed for at least 170 in the first two games since 2019.
The Wildcats have rushed for 392 yards through the first two games, the most through the first two games since 2022.
UK has scored in 13 consecutive quarters vs. Ole Miss in Lexington, dating back to 2011.
Kentucky improved its streak to 11 straight games forcing a turnover with Ty Bryant’s pair of picks in the first quarter.
Player Notes
QB Zach Calzada completed 15-of-30 pass attempts for 149 yards and four rushes for nine yards through three-and-a-half quarters.
He combined for two explosive plays, including a 44-yard throw to Ja’Mori Maclin in the fourth quarter and a 22-yard rush in the second quarter.
QB Cutter Boley came in midway through the fourth quarter and had two drives, going 1-of-3 for 38 yards and four rushes for 14 yards.
RB Seth McGowan had a team-lead 15 carries for a team-lead 88 yards and two touchdowns.
88 yards marks the second-most in a game as a collegian.
It is the second time he has scored two touchdowns rushing in one game in his career.
RB Dante Dowdell had 14 carries for 56 yards.
WR Kendrick Law had a team-lead and career-high six receptions for 44 yards.
WR Ja’Mori Maclin had two receptions for a team-lead 56 yards, including a team-long 44 yards.
LB Alex Afari Jr. had a team-lead-tying 10 tackles, including one tackles for loss (-3 yards).
This is his ninth straight game with a TFL, tying the second-longest streak in school history. He is now tied for second with Jeremy Jarmon, who had nine straight games with a TFL in 2006-07. The record is 10 straight games by Vincent “Sweet Pea” Burns in
2004-05.
It is his third straight game, dating back to the final game of 2024, with at least 10 tackles.
He is the first Wildcat with at least 10 tackles in the first two games of the season since Kash Daniel in 2018.
DB Ty Bryant also had a team-lead-tying 10 tackles, including a half tackle for loss (-1 yard), while also adding two straight interceptions in the first quarter.
On Ole Miss’ third drive, he returned the pickoff 11 yards to the Rebels’ 21, which set up a Kentucky touchdown drive.
On Ole Miss’ fourth drive, he returned the pickoff 14 yards to the Rebels’ 32, again setting up a Kentucky field goal.
Those are the second and third interceptions of his career.
The last time UK had a player with two interceptions in the same game was Jordan Lovett last season vs. Murray State.
He is the first Wildcat with two interceptions in an SEC home game since Anthony Wajda in 1999 vs. LSU.
With 10 tackles today, he went over 100 in his career (102 total).
K Jacob Kauwe went 3-of-3 on field goals (31 yards, 33 yards, 39 yards) and 2-of-2 on extra point attempts.
The redshirt freshman remains perfect in his young career on 4-of-4 on field goals and 5-of-5 on PAT.
Game Captains
OL Jalen Farmer, LB Daveren Rayner, TE Josh Kattus, LB Alex Afari Jr.
