Kentucky has won five of its first six games under coach Will Stein, including upsets of top-10 teams Texas A&M and LSU, but its three Southeastern Conference victories came by a combined 12 points. Last weekend, the Wildcats beat then-No. 10 LSU in overtime and secured the win with a two-point conversion.
Wins Built on Close Finishes
Kentucky’s only loss came in its SEC opener, when the Wildcats fell 45-17 to then-No. 12 Alabama after collapsing in the second half. Since then, they’ve won four straight. Two came in overtime—against South Carolina and LSU—and both ended 35-34.
CBS Sports reported no team had previously won consecutive overtime games by a single point. Stein picked a two-point conversion to seal each victory. Those wins gave the Wildcats three conference victories and tied them with Alabama for second in the league standings, ahead of Saturday’s game at Oklahoma.
Kentucky is one win from bowl eligibility for the first time in three years. It’s already matched last season’s final win total. Stein is the first UK coach to start league play 3-1. After beating LSU, the team moved to No. 15, and fans flooded the field following the overtime win.
The Coach and the Team
Stein is taking on his first head coaching job after three seasons as Oregon’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Kentucky hired him partly because of his work as Oregon’s offensive coordinator and his reputation as one of college football’s top offensive minds. His basic philosophy, as he puts it, is to “feed the studs.”
Before the season opener, Stein said he believed the team had enough talent and players, along with full buy-in, to play well. He has pointed to the players’ commitment to the team’s schemes as a key part of the strong start.
“I'm very confident in our team because I see them practice all the time,” Stein said. “I see them make plays. I've been through six games with them now.” He said the team could keep improving and had things to clean up after the LSU game. He also praised the players for battling and continuing to play hard.
Running back C.J. Baxter, a Texas transfer, said, “Nobody believes in us except us, honestly, that's the way we look at it, and that's the best part about it.” He said the team’s approach showed up in games, practices and meetings.
A New Expectation
Stein said his team expects to win, no matter the opponent, logo or players. “We practice that way and we play that way,” he said. Quarterback Kenny Minchey credited Stein’s trust and confidence, and said the decision to go for two at South Carolina wasn’t a surprise to the players. “We're here to win ballgames,” Minchey said.
Stein turned 37 last month and grew up in Louisville. He won three Kentucky high school titles, walked on at Louisville as a quarterback and went to Lake Travis High School in Texas to gain play-calling experience. His father, Matt, played at Kentucky, and the family held stadium seats in section 128, row 13.
Kentucky’s start is the best by a first-year coach since Alpha Brumage won five of his first six games in 1913. The article says Lexington hadn’t seen this kind of confidence and expectation around the program since Hal Mumme’s “Air Raid” offense arrived in 1996. Stein said the SEC comes down to “the last plays and the last possessions.”