League: NCAAF Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Match Previews

Kentucky Football announces Week Zero games for 2027 and 2028

2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 20, 2026, 2:10 PM

Last updated Aug 20, 2026

Kentucky Football announces Week Zero games for 2027 and 2028

Summary

Kentucky Football will move two future games to Week Zero in the 2027 and 2028 seasons, enabling earlier competition. The game against Murray State is rescheduled from September 18, 2027, to August 28, 2027, while the matchup against Eastern Illinois shifts from Week 5 to August 26, 2028. This adjustment follows the NCAA's recent decision to expand the regular season to 14 weeks, allowing teams more flexibility with scheduling. These moves signal new head coach Will Stein's influence on the program ahead of the upcoming season, which kicks off on September 5 against Youngstown State.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•Kentucky's game vs. Murray State moved to August 28, 2027.
•Eastern Illinois matchup shifted to August 26, 2028.
•NCAA expanded regular season to 14 weeks starting in 2027.
•New coach Will Stein implementing schedule changes.
•Season opener against Youngstown State on September 5, 2026.

Latest Updates

2:10 PMYahoo Sports — Kentucky football sets new season openers for 2027, 2028 schedules
12:31 AMYahoo Sports — Kentucky Football to play Week Zero games in the 2027 and 2028 seasons

What they're saying

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The Kentucky Wildcats will open their 2027 season against Murray State and the 2028 schedule against Eastern Illinois under a new NCAA 14-week model.
— Yahoo Sports