🏈 Kentucky Wildcats — 2025 Season Preview

cashincountry
Aug 27
2 min read

📍 Conference: SEC🏟️ Home Field: Kroger Field👔 Head Coach: Mark Stoops

📝 Preseason Overview

Kentucky kicks off its 2025 campaign against a dangerous Toledo squad — and the opener is anything but a guaranteed win. The Wildcats are rebuilding their offensive identity while relying on veteran leadership on defense to find stability.

The focus this season is physical football: controlling the clock, pounding the rock, and playing tough in the trenches. If Stoops’ squad wants to compete in the SEC East, they’ll need immediate production from both veteran leaders and new faces.

🔥 Players to Watch

Seth McGowan (RB): The New Mexico State transfer is Kentucky’s new workhorse back. His ability to churn out tough yards and control tempo will take pressure off the quarterback and dictate the pace of every game.
Hardley Gilmore IV (WR): A returning talent after a brief Nebraska transfer, Gilmore has a massive opportunity to emerge as WR2 behind Jamori Maclin. If he clicks, Kentucky’s passing attack becomes dangerous.
The Entire Offensive Line: Shiyazh Pete, Alex Wollschlaeger, Joshua Braun, Jalen Farmer, and Jager Burton must restore the “Big Blue Wall” reputation. Pass protection and run blocking will decide Kentucky’s fate.
JQ Hardaway (CB): Veteran DB with the tools to become a true lockdown corner. A confident season from Hardaway is key to fixing a leaky secondary.
David Gusta (DT): The anchor of Kentucky’s defensive front. If Gusta wins in the trenches, the Wildcats can shut down rushing attacks and force passing downs.

📈 Strengths & Challenges

Strengths:

A transfer-heavy roster that adds talent at key positions (RB, OL, secondary).
Stoops’ defensive coaching pedigree should lead to improvement on that side of the ball.
Experience on the offensive line — if it clicks, Kentucky can control games.

Challenges:

Offensive identity is in transition with a new QB and an overhauled WR group.
A leaky pass defense in 2024 must take a big step forward to compete in the SEC East.
The Wildcats open with Toledo and South Carolina — no warmups here.

🏆 Season Outlook

Kentucky enters 2025 as a middle-tier SEC East contender but could surprise with its physical style and veteran leadership. If McGowan lives up to expectations and the O-line delivers, the Wildcats have 7–8 win potential and could play spoiler to top teams in the conference.