After two huge wins, one of those being a historic one in Kroger Field, taking down No. 10 LSU and Lane Kiffin in an absolutely thrilling overtime finish, the Kentucky Wildcats are hitting the road to take on the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night.

As for the Sooners, they’re coming off of a huge upset win in a rivalry matchup with top-ranked Texas with a game-winning field goal. Now, they’re looking to use that momentum with Kentucky coming in. Ahead of the game, Will Stein went into detail about Oklahoma, starting with the defense, which really is the heart of this Sooners squad.

“Coach Venables, I think he’s one of the best coaches in college football. One of the elite defensive minds as well. They’re one of the best defenses that we will face this entire season,” Stein said. “When you think about his teams and how they play, I mean, extremely hard, physical, never out of the fight mentality. This is a really well-coached football team in all three phases. You know, his defense is elite. I would say these guys are phenomenal. They’re one of the best defenses that we will face this entire season.”

Then, there is the offense, which has struggled with efficiency so far this season. They are led by quarterback John Mateer, who was a Heisman hopeful coming into the season. Stein says not to let the struggles fool you; Mateer is still dangerous with his play, and as someone who has been to the playoffs, he can turn things up a notch at any moment.

“He’s won a lot with Ben (Arbuckle) as his coordinator. Then they went to the playoffs last year. You know, he’s a guy that can beat you through the air on the ground, I know he’s had some turnover issues this year, but you can’t sleep on this dude. Like, the guy’s been a winner his whole life. I recruited him a little bit when I was at UTSA, and then he went to Washington State, and obviously he was a Heisman hopeful before the season. I still think he’s got elite and some rare talent in spots.”

Kentucky will have a lot to deal with on Saturday, especially with that defense, but they’re trying to make a statement that they are a playoff contender after their big start to the season, and what better way to keep it rolling than another road win in the SEC.

If you enjoyed this story, follow us on social media for more Kentucky coverage, breaking news, and analysis delivered as it all unfolds. Over 180,000+ already do! We’re on Facebook, X/Twitter, TikTok, and more. Go Cats!