Kentucky vs Youngstown State College Football 2022 Live (9/17) How To Watch Online, TV Info, Time

The Kentucky Wildcats host the Youngstown State Penguins in 2022 college football action on Saturday, September 17 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The game will be broadcast live via DirecTV Stream.

No. 9 Kentucky is 2-0 this season, while Youngstown State is also 2-0. The two teams have never met in football.

The Kentucky vs. Youngstown State game begins at 11:00 a.m. (noon EST) and will be broadcast live on the DirecTV Stream, which is available for $49.99 for the first two months, $69.99 thereafter. . SEC Network will broadcast the game nationally.

Insight

Kentucky’s euphoria after a big win and high ranking gave way to trying to improve several phases.

The No. 9 Wildcats (2-0) will be hoping a two-week non-conference game streak will help their development, though Saturday’s opener against Youngstown State poses an interesting challenge. They will face one of the most successful schools in the Penguins Football Championship Subdivision (2-0), who will be motivated to win their first game against a Southeastern Conference program.

Especially a Kentucky team guided by Youngstown, Ohio, native Mark Stoops.

“I know how tough they are, what kind of program (they are) and the history they have,” Stoops said this week. “They won’t be intimidated, it’s very good and there is a connection there.

“But at the end of the day, they come to beat us and play well. It’s our job to keep that intensity, to keep that focus and to keep improving.

Kentucky’s second-half rally to beat then-No. 11 Florida 26-16 last week in The Swamp certainly provided a boost. The Wildcats overcame first-half errors to outscore the Gators 13-0 in the second half and earn back-to-back series victories for the first time in 45 years.

The hard-fought victory propelled the Wildcats nine spots to their highest Associated Press Top 25 ranking since reaching No. 8 in October 2007. Stoops said his phone exploded with 300 congratulatory messages which he was always trying to answer.

With recon comes a bigger target for enemies. Kentucky faced a similar task last fall, having to fight FCS Chattanooga after beating Missouri in SEC play. But a week after Sun Belt Conference teams beat Notre Dame and Texas A&M rankings and unranked Nebraska, the Wildcats are aiming to avoid a similar fate.

“Coach Stoops talks week after week about how these games are going,” Kentucky quarterback Will Levis said. “And you have to do everything you can to avoid those situations.”

Youngstown State beat Dayton 49-16 last week behind a school-record six touchdown passes. Sophomore Demeatric Crenshaw threw for five touchdowns before Mitch Davidson threw another for the mark.

The four-time national champions are ranked 23rd in the FCS coaches’ poll and outscored their opponents 80-30. As good as it has been so far, the Penguins need to step up their game to topple a Power Five school backed by a big win.

“Don’t overdo it,” YSU linebacker Griffin Hoak said. “If you get too excited, you might mess up little things, you know?

“Expect to do your job. And if you do your job, we’ll play a good game of football, we’ll have fun and maybe we’ll have a dub (W).

ENHANCED PROTECTION

Kentucky gave up seven sacks, including three to Florida, and failed to break 100 net rushing yards in either contest. Growing pains were expected with a revamped offensive line that includes five subclasses, but took a step closer to jelly with improved second-half play at Gainesville.

“It gave us an opening to be successful in the running game,” added Stoops, whose team edged the Gators 107-32 after halftime. “You put these things together, and we will continue to build on this.”

PUNISHING PENGUIN

Youngstown State senior halfback Jaleel McLaughlin enters the game as an active career NCAA leader with 6,910 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns on 1,065 attempts. He rushed for 2,400 yards in each of his first two seasons at Division II Notre Dame College before adding 2,162 yards and 21 touchdowns with the Penguins. He rushed for 332 yards and four touchdowns in two games.

OPPORTUNIST DEFENDERS

Keidron Smith twice pulled off timely turnovers to give Kentucky momentum. Transfer Ole Miss returned a 65-yard interception for the game-winning touchdown in Florida, a week after his 21-yard fumble return set up an insurance TD during a 62-second streak that changed the game against Miami (Ohio). Jordan Wright returned from suspension to complete another pass against the Gators, giving the Wildcats 21 points on the takeaway and a plus-1 rotational margin.

LINKS THAT UNITE

Youngstown State is expected to have a strong presence that could also encourage some sons of the country on the Kentucky sideline. Besides Stoops and his brother Mike, the inside linebackers coach, other blue-collar city natives include junior linebacker Luke Fulton and freshman running back Sean O’Horo; safety coach Frank Buffano; graduate assistant Courtney Love; and tight ends recruiting coach/coordinator Vince Marrow, who has been instrumental in attracting talent to northeast Ohio.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.