Mark Story: Can Will Stein win in Year 1 at Kentucky? These three things could determine that.

Will Stein faces a significant challenge in his first season as the Kentucky football coach. The difficulty is highlighted by the team's upcoming schedule, as UK is set to compete against three of the five Southeastern Conference teams that qualified for the 2025 College Football Playoffs, including Alabama. These matchups will be critical factors in determining whether Stein can achieve success during his inaugural year leading the program in the competitive SEC environment.