Some say lightning doesn’t strike twice. With one win in the Southeastern Conference in 2024, over the then-No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels, the Kentucky Wildcats found themselves in a near identical position on Sept. 6, 2025.
With two first-quarter interceptions setting them up in plus field position, the Wildcats were given a 10-point lead to start the game against the Rebels.
Tied up in the third quarter — Rebel sophomore quarterback Austin Simmons’ last quarter before injury — would drive Ole Miss down and run in a touchdown to prevent the upset this time around.
Both teams would leave the game without their starting quarterback, but the Wildcats have not been propelled into the top five of the polls like senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has done for the Rebels.
Last season was characterized as playing spoiler to the Rebels for the Kentucky Wildcats. 2025 is looking similar.
The Wildcats, while not mathematically eliminated from the conference championship yet, but with three losses already in conference play and on their second quarterback, playing spoiler seems to be Kentucky’s role once again.
Kentucky’s only two wins of the season have come against teams in the Mid-American Conference. In week three, Kentucky dominated the Eastern Michigan Eagles by four scores.
But week one was not the same MAC domination. With a one-score victory and 11 punts between the two teams, the Toledo Rockets provided a scare and possible foreshadowing of the long season to come.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley got his first start of the season in their victory over Eastern Michigan, his first since last season’s finale. Boley threw for 240 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, but only completed 57% of his passes.
“It’s a lot to build on,” head coach Mark Stoops said after the victory over the Eagles. “He’s getting more confident. He’s getting more comfortable with every rep.”
Since Boley’s second start, he has faced South Carolina and Georgia, not leading the offense to the same success. Through the two games, he has combined for three turnovers, leading the offense to just two touchdown drives.
The Wildcats are coming off their second bye week heading into the game against the Longhorns, and understandably, the team is still settling in Boley at quarterback heading into his fifth start.
“He’s going to get better, you know his comfort level with the offense, us playing better around him, giving him some time,” Stoops said. “You know, all those things together, we have to have a good plan … and make sure he’s comfortable, and can execute the things we’re asking him to do.”
Kentucky can’t spoil the Rebels’ season this year, but with ranked matchups against Texas, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and a battle for the the Governor’s Cup with Louisville, there is still plenty of spirit left to spoil someone’s season.
