After picking up its first Southeastern Conference win in the 2025 campaign, Texas will head to Kroger Field to face the Kentucky Wildcats for a night game.
The Wildcats enter Saturday’s matchup off a bye, but come in with a 2-3 record, all three losses to conference opponents.
Still, any game in the SEC, especially on the road and at night, can be problematic. The Longhorns cannot afford to overlook their opposition in this meeting and must stay focused on the task at hand. With that being said, here are some of the Kentucky players to keep an eye on.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley
Graduate quarterback Zach Calzada was a part of the haul of transfers that head coach Mark Stoops and his program brought in last offseason, but once Calzada suffered a shoulder injury in their week two loss to then-No. 20 Ole Miss, it has been Boley under center for the Wildcats.
Boley faced Texas when the teams matched up at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last season, replacing quarterback Brock Vandagriff in a 24-7 deficit at halftime. Now, with three starts under his belt in 2025, Boley will once again line up across from the Longhorns.
In the Wildcats’ most recent game against the Georgia Bulldogs, Boley attempted 41 passes after Kentucky started playing from behind early on. Boley completed 25 passes for 225 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
“He’s a very confident young man,” Stoops said about Boley in his Monday press conference. “He’s a young player, and he’s going to get better with every rep, every game. Again, that’s not lip service — he knows that. He feels that. He feels the confidence with each practice. There’s no question.”
Senior running back Seth McGowan
After returning to Division I football last season at New Mexico State, where he accumulated 823 rushing yards, McGowan transferred to Kentucky this offseason to join a Wildcat backfield with the starting spot up for grabs.
The senior ultimately beat out junior Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell for the lead role, and through five games, he has run for 431 yards on a 5.5 yards-per-carry average. McGowan has also found the end zone seven times, which ranks third among SEC running backs.
McGowan exited in the third quarter of the Georgia game with an apparent reaggravated leg injury, but Stoops seems to be optimistic about his status for the Texas matchup, describing McGowan as “close” in his recovery on Monday. Assuming he suits up, the running back will be a vital piece to Kentucky’s attempts at steadying itself against a fierce Longhorn unit.
Senior wide receiver Kendrick Law
A four-star prospect out of Shreveport, Louisiana, Law spent three seasons at Alabama, but never really found his footing in Tuscaloosa.
He chose to transfer within the SEC ahead of his senior season, and in his first four games, he played at Kentucky. Law has already tallied more receptions and yards than he did in any season at Alabama.
Against Georgia, Law put together his best outing yet, recording six catches for 64 yards and his first touchdown. The speedy pass-catcher has showcased the ability to open defenses up or catch them sleeping, making him someone the Texas secondary needs to track in Lexington.
Senior linebacker Alex Afari Jr.
Afari is in his fourth and final season at Kentucky, on track to improve his tackling numbers in each of his collegiate years. The inside linebacker currently leads the team in total tackles with 37, opening the year with back-to-back, double-digit tackle performances to set the tone for his role in the Wildcats’ defense.
Having played 38 career games for Kentucky entering the 2025 season, Afari serves as an experienced leader in the middle of the field.
Facing what looked like a balanced Texas offense against then-No. 6 Oklahoma, Afari can be expected to be a present force across the field for the Wildcats.
