Will Stein made history with Kentucky’s win at South Carolina

Kentucky's win in overtime against South Carolina was a historic one.

Will Stein | UK Athletics

The Kentucky Wildcats went down to Columbia to take on a South Carolina team facing a ton of pressure after starting the season 2-2 and with their coach being on the hot seat. Things looked terrible for Kentucky after starting down 17-0, but a historic comeback gave them the win in overtime. 

There was a lot of historical feats that that came out of Kentucky’s overtime win. It was not only the biggest comeback in a road game in program history, it was also their second-largest comeback overall in their history. Not only that, but it was also Kentucky’s first overtime road win in school history. The win also means Kentucky has scored at least 31 points in two SEC road games, the first time that has happened in a single season since 1984. Will Stein made some personal history in his team’s 17-point comeback. 

Will Stein | UK Athletics

Will Stein is now the first Kentucky head coach since Bear Bryant in 1946 to start 4-1 in their first season. That is an epic accomplishment and just shows how far the Kentucky program has come over the years. Stein is also the first Kentucky head coach ever to win his first two SEC road games. It doesn’t stop there either. He is also the first head coach at Kentucky to score at least 31 points in two SEC road games in his first season. According to stat by the Herald-Leader’s Jon Hale, Mark Stoops was 0-49 at Kentucky when trailing by 14 at halftime, and Will Stein just did it down 17 late in the first half. 

"We battled, and it wasn’t pretty. But you know, good teams find a way to win, and that’s what it was tonight. It was a really good football team here with us and we found a way to win on the road in the SEC," Stein said on Saturday after the win.

Oct 3, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Will Stein directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We went into this game knowing how big of a swing game it was for both programs. Now, Kentucky sits at 4-1 with a tough road ahead, but that means plenty of opportunities for Stein to continue shocking the college football world. The path to bowl eligibility just got much easier and the path to even a 9-3 season is certainly there if you can pull of a few more upsets.

It was an impressive comeback by Kentucky and the Wildcats made history in the process of grabbing the big win

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