Sept. 11, 2026, 5:08 a.m. ET
Alabama soccer faces a tough check in Week 2 of the 2026 season. The Crimson Tide are in Lexington to face the Kentucky Wildcats of their SEC opener Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (1-0) are ranked No. 12 within the US LBM Coaches Ballot and AP Prime 25 ballot; Kentucky (1-0) is unranked.
Each groups appeared spectacular of their season openers, although each had been towards overmatched groups. Quarterback Keelon Russell made essentially the most of his first profession begin, throwing for 256 yards on 18-of-30 passing and speeding for 86 yards and a landing in Alabama‘s 48-10 win over East Carolina.
Kenny Minchey, a former four-star recruit who transferred to Kentucky after spending three seasons at Notre Dame, threw for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns within the Wildcats’ 45-12 rout of Youngstown State. Minchey is one in every of 36 transfers Kentucky introduced in after hiring first-year head coach Will Stein.
Will Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer win the SEC opener, or will the Tide fall of their first street sport for the second straight season? Here is who the consultants like.
USA TODAY Sports activities’ predictions for Alabama vs Kentucky, Week 2 SEC soccer video games
USA TODAY Sports activities’ school soccer consultants unveiled their weekly picks and predictions for each top-25 crew heading into Week 2, together with Alabama-Kentucky.
“Week 1 was largely upset free, offering minimal alternatives for separation amongst our panel of pigskin prognosticators. Issues may be completely different in Week 2 of the faculty soccer season, with a lot of video games that can doubtless encourage some differing opinions.
“The headliner is the primary top-five showdown of the marketing campaign as No. 1 Ohio State heads south to tackle No. 3 Texas. There’s one other Prime 25 conflict involving the identical two conferences as No. 10 Oklahoma visits No. 24 Michigan. The slate additionally options some early contests that can rely of their respective league standings, together with No. 12 Alabama kicking off SEC play at Kentucky and No. 15 Brigham Younger getting an early Massive 12 check from Arizona.” –Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY Sports activities.
The panel of Paul Myerberg, Matt Hayes, Blake Toppmeyer, Jordan Mendoza, Erick Smith, John Brice and Timanus are taking the Crimson Tide. All seven see Alabama profitable Saturday’s sport in Lexington.
The group is much less sure on two different top-25 matchups in Week 2: the early kickoff between No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 24 Michigan in Ann Arbor (11 a.m. CT), and significantly the prime-time showdown between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Texas in Austin (6:30 p.m. CT).
5 of the seven members see the Buckeyes beating the Longhorns for the second straight season, whereas six of the seven see the Sooners beating the Wolverines. Six of the seven additionally see No. 9 Texas A&M beating unranked Arizona State in School Station.
What’s Alabama soccer’s historical past vs Kentucky Wildcats?
Alabama leads the all-time sequence towards Kentucky, 39-2-1. The Crimson Tide have received the final eight head-to-head matchups towards the Wildcats relationship again to 2003. Alabama’s solely loss in Lexington prior to now 100 years got here in 1997 towards a generational expertise at quarterback in Kentucky’s Tim Sofa.
The Crimson Tide defeated the Wildcats, 49-21, within the final matchup between the 2 on Nov. 11, 2023 in Lexington.
Listed here are sport outcomes for Alabama vs. Kentucky within the sequence’ final 10 head-to-head matchups.
- Nov. 11, 2023: Alabama 49, Kentucky 21 (Lexington)
- Nov. 21, 2020: Alabama 63, Kentucky 3 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 1, 2016: Alabama 34, Kentucky 6 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 12, 2013: Alabama 48, Kentucky 7 (Lexington)
- Oct. 3, 2009: Alabama 38, Kentucky 20 (Lexingtn)
- Oct. 4, 2008: Alabama 17, Kentucky 14 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 9, 2004: Alabama 45, Kentucky 17 (Lexington)
- Sept. 13, 2003: Alabama 27, Kentucky 17 (Tuscaloosa)
- Oct. 4, 1997: Kentucky 40, Alabama 34, OT (Lexington)
- Oct. 5, 1996: Alabama 35, Kentucky 7 (Tuscaloosa)
Alabama soccer vs. Kentucky: begin time, TV channel, announcers
Kickoff for Alabama-Kentucky is 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday. The sport shall be televised on ABC. Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy may have the decision of the sport from the published sales space at Kroger Area in Lexington. Katie George will report from the sidelines.
Moreover, the Crimson Tide Sports activities Community feed of the sport that includes Alabama radio voice Chris Stewart and Tyler Watts could be heard on SiriusXM channel 229 and The Varsity App.
Alabama soccer schedule 2026
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina Pirates (W, 48-10)
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky Wildcats, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State Seminoles, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, prime time
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State Bulldogs, early window
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia Bulldogs, prime time
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee Volunteers, TBA
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M Aggies, TBA
- Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers, TBA
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt Commodores, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga Mocs, 1 p.m., SEC Community+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn Tigers, TBA
File: 1-0.
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