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Depending on whom you believe, the SEC may or may not have three of its league teams play during college football’s opening season kickoff night, as Kentucky is now rumored to host Southern Miss Thursday Sept. 1 instead of playing Saturday Sept. 3.
South Carolina was already scheduled to play at Vanderbilt Thursday Sept. 1.
Via Southern Miss reporter Jason Munz:
I'm told Southern Miss' football season opener at Kentucky will be moved to Thursday, Sept. 1, for TV. #breaking
— Jason Munz (@munzly) May 9, 2016
That tweet was quickly followed by Kentucky reporter Jen Smith:
UK says there is "no truth" to reports that the opener against Southern Miss has been moved to Sept. 1. It is still Sept. 3.
— Jen Smith (@ByJenSmith) May 9, 2016
Following consecutive 5-7 campaigns, the Wildcats are still searching for their first bowl bid heading into year four of the Mark Stoops era. Earning a win on opening night against a Southern Miss team that went 9-5 in 2015 will be no easy task, however Kentucky will likely enter the home game as a heavy favorite to start the season with victory.
If Stoops Troops manage to drop the season opener to the Eagles, getting over their current five game hump would highly unlikely. Although Stoops signed an extension just last season, there is certainly pressure in Lexington to show some progress this fall and it will now start on the opening night of the season.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
