These are super-strange times in the SEC.
LSU might have the best mix of talent, and it certainly has the highest-profile head coach, but it has two losses, and one of them was last week in a 35-34 overtime thriller to Kentucky.
It’s just assumed that Texas will find its way into the College Football Playoff, and maybe get to the SEC Championship first. But it just lost to an Oklahoma team that pulled off an all-time found-a-way 27-24 win in the Red River Rivalry. The Sooners only have one SEC loss – 41-13 to Georgia – but all of a sudden, the second half of the schedule doesn’t seem that bad.
Kentucky, because it’s in the first year of the Will Stein era, and Oklahoma, because it beat Texas – both programs are in a good place. But the winner of this will still be alive in the SEC, and the other almost certainly won’t.
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Kentucky vs Oklahoma: Quick Hits
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Oklahoma goes on the road for two of the next three weeks, traveling to Mississippi State, hosting South Carolina, and going to Florida.
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It’s a key stretch for Kentucky with Vanderbilt at home next, followed by a date at Tennessee.
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The two programs have only met three times. Oklahoma won 29-8 in 1982 and 29-7 in 1980, but Bear Bryant’s Kentucky won the 1951 Sugar Bowl.
How To Watch Kentucky vs Oklahoma
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV: SEC Network
Location: Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
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Why Kentucky Will Win
How the heck is Kentucky doing this?
Start here – it’s just not screwing up. UK turned it over three times in the loss to Alabama, twice in a win over South Alabama, and that’s it. No turnovers on the road at Texas A&M and South Carolina, and none last week against LSU.
And then there are the penalties – there aren’t any. Kentucky is No. 1 in the SEC in fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards, and that matters. The lack of turnovers matters. It all matters, because Oklahoma probably can’t pull this off without the Wildcats royally screwing up like Texas did last week.
Why Oklahoma Will Win
Kentucky needs its running game to rock, and that’s going to be a problem.
Georgia was able to power away on Oklahoma with a few big runs in the blowout win, but that’s been about it. Michigan tried to run a lot, and it did just enough to get by, but it was a struggle. Texas wasn’t exactly creative in the way it tried to run, and it got stuffed way too often.
The Sooners are 3-0 when they don’t allow a touchdown run, and 0-2 when they do. And …
Kentucky vs Oklahoma Prediction, Betting Lines
Kentucky’s only loss came in the one game (Alabama) it failed to hit 100 yards rushing and didn’t score a touchdown on the ground.
Oklahoma will hold up defensively in a low-scoring game that comes down to a few key late stops, but this won’t be easy for a team that failed to hit 300 yards of total offense against anyone but UTEP.
Kentucky is 135th in the nation in third down conversions. Oklahoma is third in the nation in third down stops. And that’s the ball game.
Oklahoma 23, Kentucky 17
Latest Consensus Line: Oklahoma -6.5, o/u: 43.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 3
Must See Rating (out of 5): 4
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.