Kentucky upset No. 9 Texas A&M 31-21 on Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, a week after the Wildcats had collapsed against Alabama in their previous Southeastern Conference game.
Quarterback Kenny Minchey threw two touchdown passes to lead Kentucky to the win, which gave first-year coach Will Stein his first road victory in conference play. It also marked Kentucky’s first win over a ranked opponent in nearly two years; the Wildcats’ last such win came on Sept. 28, 2024, against then-No. 6 Ole Miss, 20-17.
Kentucky’s defense, led by coordinator Jay Bateman, held Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed to 236 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Bateman spent the previous two seasons on Texas A&M coach Mike Elko’s staff before joining Kentucky.
“This is what I expect us to do,” Stein said. “That’s how I expect us to play. That is the physicality, that’s the toughness, that’s the competitiveness, that’s the grit that I expect us to play with every single Saturday.”
Minchey, a transfer from Notre Dame, put Kentucky ahead for good early in the third quarter, hitting Kenny Darby on a 42-yard touchdown pass to break a 7-7 tie. Running back CJ Baxter then scored rushing touchdowns on Kentucky’s next two possessions to push the lead to 28-7. A 52-yard field goal later extended the margin to 31-14 with less than nine minutes remaining.
Texas A&M tried to answer, but Kentucky defensive back Jordan Castell intercepted Reed on a subsequent drive. The Aggies did narrow the gap to 31-21 on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Reed to Micah Riley with under four minutes left, but they could not complete the comeback.
“I did not do a good enough job of coaching this team and preparing this team,” Elko said. “I don’t take any positives from this game. I don’t want to take away anything from Kentucky. … Kentucky came in here and whopped us.”
Minchey finished with 252 passing yards, and Baxter carried 19 times for 87 yards. Kentucky outgained Texas A&M 196-20 in the third quarter alone.
Texas A&M travels to LSU next week, while Kentucky returns home to Lexington to host South Alabama.
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