How to Watch, Listen: Kentucky-Youngstown State

The No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats will welcome the Youngstown State Penguins into Kroger Field this Saturday, Sept. 17, as both teams look to begin the 2022 season 3-0. The Cats are coming off a big win against then-No. 12 Florida in The Swamp, and will look to stay in flow against a hard-nosed FCS school. If you won't make it to the noon tilt in Lexington, we have you covered on how you can watch and listen to the game.

How to Watch

Kentucky and Youngstown will open the slate on the SEC Network this weekend as the first of three games on the network. You can watch gamely access and other highlights leading into the game and after the game on UK Sports Network.

How to Listen

If you won't be able to tune in on the television, then you can always listen to the game. UK Sports Network typically offers a live feed for listeners that can be accessed on the website by clicking the previous link. Elsewhere, the game can be heard on WLAP 630 AM, which can be found on iHeart Radio, Tunein and Radio Station USA.

Below is our team preview of the Youngstown State Penguins:

Last Meeting

This will be the first time ever that the Penguins and Wildcats will have squared off on the gridiron. While that may be the case, and Stoops largely being the reason for the matchup happening in the first place, the yearly FCS game hasn't always been a gimme for UK.

Flashback to just a year ago, and the Cats found themselves down two points to the upset-minded Chattanooga Mocs in the fourth quarter. Following a 31-yard Izayah Cummings touchdown, Tyrell Aijan sealed the deal with a 95-yard pick six, saving Kentucky from what would have been the worst loss in the Stoops era, certainly derailing an eventual Citrus Bowl winning campaign.

Offensive Player Spotlight

The Penguins return both their starting quarterback and running back from a year ago. Demeatric Crenshaw hurled just six touchdowns as a freshman last season, but he did even more damage on the ground, rushing for 599 yards and seven scores. Jaleel McLaughlin is the top option in the Youngstown offense, as he returns for his senior season following a 1,139-yard, 12-touchdown junior year. Kentucky transfer Bryce Oliver is the top returnee at receiver, as he tallied eight scores despite catching only 24 passes in 2021.

Defensive Player Spotlight

Youngstown State returns just one of its top five tacklers from last season, in junior linebacker Griffin Hoak. The Dublin, Ohio native started all 10 games last season, notching 92 tackles (62 solo), including seven tackles-for-loss and six sacks. It gets shaky afterward, as the Penguins return just two other players who collected 40 or more total tackles a year ago. The defense was a sour note last go-round, as the team allowed an average of 35.4 points-per-game, giving up less than 30 points just three times, a large reason for the 3-7 record in 2021.