The Kentucky football program is generating metric tons of momentum in Will Stein‘s first months on the job in Lexington. Kentucky signed a Top 10 transfer portal class, filled with some of the best offensive linemen available in free agency, and flipped a high-profile quarterback from Nebraska. The Cats followed that up by stringing together multiple commitments from four-star high school prospects. A media darling, anyone who writes about college football has nothing but great things to say about Stein’s future in Lexington.

That’s just the offseason. What will happen once the season starts?

Kentucky has one of the most difficult schedules in all of college football. The Wildcats will face two College Football Playoff teams in the first three weeks of the season. Many people will tell you that it’s going to be nearly impossible for Stein to get Kentucky back into a bowl game.

I’m here to tell you that Kentucky is going to beat Alabama.

Is that crazy? Maybe. After all, Kentucky has only taken down the Crimson Tide twice, once in 1922 and most recently in 1997. Set that history aside for a moment, and let’s envision what may unfold at Kroger Field on September 12.

The Art of Surprise

Big Blue Nation will be buzzing for Will Stein’s SEC opener. The only SEC game on the schedule, ABC will certainly be in Lexington for what likely will be a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

Hype means nothing if you can’t capitalize on it, but Stein has one more ace in the hole. The Alabama coaching staff will enter the game blind.

Advanced scouts will be able to watch Stein’s offense from his time at Oregon, and maybe be able to glean something from what Jay Bateman did at Texas A&M a year prior. But how much can the Crimson Tide gameplan for when the personnel is so dramatically different? Stein will certainly put nothing of substance on tape during the Kentucky opener against Youngstown State. He can empty the clip with creative formations and play-calls to create explosive plays on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

Alabama Struggles Early on the Road

Kalen DeBoer‘s first SEC road game was a loss at Vanderbilt. Alabama opened the 2025 season on the road at Florida State and got manhandled in the trenches by the inferior Seminoles, who won the run-game battle 230-87.

Simply put, DeBoer is really, really bad in this spot. He has an exceptional record against his best opponents, but is due to lay an egg once or twice a year against a seemingly overmatched foe.

Alabama is Breaking in a New Quarterback

The Crimson Tide relied on Ty Simpson to carry a heavy workload in 2025. Who will replace the first round draft pick? Keelon Russell and Austin Mack are competing for the starting spot. Whoever wins the job will receive their first SEC test on the road against an aggressive defense that specializes in simulated pressures. That’s a quarterback’s worst nightmare.

You know what helps a new quarterback? A solid rushing attack. Last year, Alabama had the worst rushing offense since the school began keeping stats in 1946. There are few reasons to believe it will drastically improve this fall.

The Winning Formula

A year ago, Will Stein’s Oregon offense generated more explosive plays than any other team in the country. The formula is simple: Create explosive plays on offense, force turnovers, and apply game pressure on the Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter. It’s much easier said than done, but all of the ingredients are ripe for Will Stein to secure a signature win in his first SEC game as the Kentucky head football coach.