Football fans across Kentucky are in for a stacked weekend as autumn sports season arrives in full force. Friday Night Lights blaze back to life for high school football in the state, while college ball and the NFL preseason quietly creep toward regular-season action. The overlap means a weekend packed with gridiron action, from Friday night stadiums to a Saturday slate that includes Week Zero college games.
A loaded KHSAA kickoff schedule
Kentucky High School Athletic Association action headlines the weekend, with a full Friday night slate highlighted by the KSR Game of the Week double-header: Bryan Station versus No. 15 South Warren, followed by North Hardin at Lexington Christian Academy. Across the state, eight games feature ranked teams, and 19 ranked teams are in action overall. For fans looking to get a sense of where teams stand early, KSR will be using Massey Ratings to share computer-based projections based on historical trends and current-season statistics. Massey Ratings are still ramping up, but they offer a fun way to gauge early-season matchups as the standings evolve.
Week Zero College Football
Real-life college football returns with Week Zero on Saturday, featuring a sunglass-worthy kickoff in Dublin: No. 17 Kansas State vs. No. 22 Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium. The day’s five FBS games include:
– No. 22 Iowa State at No. 17 Kansas State – 12 PM ET
– Idaho State at UNLV – 4 PM ET
– Fresno State at Kansas – 6:30 PM ET
– Sam Houston at Western Kentucky – 7 PM ET
– Stanford at Hawai’i – 7:30 PM ET
There are also four additional FCS matchups televised for fans who want even more football in their lives:
– Incarnate Word at Nicholls – 1 PM ET
– Tarleton State at Portland State – 4:30 PM ET
– UC Davis at Mercer – 7 PM ET
– North Carolina Central at Southern – 7:30 PM ET
NFL preseason winds down
The NFL preseason is moving into the final stretch as teams trim rosters ahead of next week’s 53-man cut-downs. Veterans and stars are resting while fringe players vie for limited roster spots and a chance to contribute this season. Expect a mix of standout plays and DNPs as coaches evaluate depth charts and special-teams contributors in the last tune-ups before the regular season.
SEC expands to a nine-game conference schedule
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced that the league’s presidents have voted to add a ninth conference game starting in 2026, aligning with the Big Ten and Big 12 in this scheduling expansion. While Kentucky’s leadership, including athletics director Mitch Barnhart, preferred eight conference games, the move is now part of the landscape. The change brings increased ESPN revenue under the league’s media rights deal and helps preserve historical rivalries, including the Governor’s Cup, by requiring every SEC team to add at least one high-quality non-conference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame each year.
Context from Kentucky insiders and analysts
KSR’s Nick Roush and Adam Luckett broke down the implications of the nine-game shift late Thursday, noting how schedules will evolve and what it could mean for future rivalries, recruiting, and budget planning in the SEC footprint.
Feature spotlight: a football dynasty
As fans gear up for the weekend, readers are encouraged to check Tyler Thompson’s feature on Jasper Johnson and the Johnson family’s football lineage. The piece traces Jasper’s grandfather Alvis Johnson’s storied career dating back to the 1970s, his father and uncle’s prominence in the ’90s, and Jasper’s own transition from football to basketball, which brought him to Kentucky as a Wildcat. The feature includes both written and video elements to give a fuller picture of a multigenerational football story.
A hopeful note for BBN
Football season is back in full bloom, and the thrill isn’t limited to the field. It’s a time for community, rivalries, and the shared excitement of fall Saturdays and Sundays. Whether you’re scouting early-week matchups, following national Week Zero action, or tracking SEC scheduling shifts, there are plenty of angles to enjoy, debate, and savor as the season unfolds.
Summary for fans
– Local spotlight: Eight KHSAA games featuring ranked teams and a full schedule to kick off Friday night.
– National flavor: Week Zero college football with a Dublin kickoff and five FBS games on Saturday.
– Pro scene tease: NFL preseason action intensifies as rosters take shape ahead of the regular season.
– Conference shift: SEC moves to a nine-game schedule beginning in 2026, with revenue and rivalries in focus and a requirement for one strong non-conference opponent each year.
– Feature read: An in-depth look at the Johnson football dynasty, with a written piece and a companion video.
Enjoy the start of football season, BBN.