A Pause for Reflection

With Kentucky on a bye week this Saturday, it’s the perfect time for Big Blue Nation to take a collective breath. Three games into the season, the Wildcats are sitting at 2-1, but without a game this weekend, the usual buzz shifts elsewhere.

This week, the conversation turns to quarterback speculation with fans debating who should get the start moving forward, Cutter Boley or Zach Calzada? As we know Mark Stoops isn’t “ready” to make a commitment either way, but we know the fans thoughts on that. Eyes are also on a matchup taking place down in Oxford Mississippi this Saturday, and what that could do to the fan base moving forward.

Eyes on Ole Miss vs. Tulane

While Kentucky is idle, there’s one game that will still draw attention from fans in blue. A 3:30 PM primetime matchup featuring Lane Kiffin and his 3–0 Ole Miss Rebels against Tulane, led by former Kentucky linebacker and assistant coach Jon Sumrall.

This game carries extra intrigue. The last time these two teams met back in September 2023 Ole Miss pulled away late with a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring Tulane 20–3 to secure a 37–20 victory. Now, both teams come into the rematch undefeated and looking to prove themselves. Tulane is eyeing an upset, and Kentucky fans are watching closely, but not necessarily because of the game itself.

The Real Story: Jon Sumrall and Kentucky’s Coaching Future

Let’s be honest: most Kentucky fans don’t care about the outcome of Ole Miss vs. Tulane in the traditional sense. What they do care about is the underlying storyline and it revolves around Jon Sumrall.

Sumrall has quickly become the name a large majority of the fan base has clung onto should the Mark Stoops era come to an end. If Tulane keeps this one close or better yet, pulls off the upset expect that to reach a fever pitch.

Lane Kiffin Can’t Help Himself

Of course, it wouldn’t be a conversation about something Kentucky related without Lane Kiffin chiming in with a little friendly fire.

When asked this week about Sumrall being linked to head coaching vacancies, Kiffin did his part in poking the bear, intentional or not.

“It’s funny you bring that up,” Kiffin said. “I told my staff yesterday, I said, ‘I feel like I’m going to be in head coach’s meetings in the conference I think our first one is in January, with Coach Sumrall.’ So, it’s funny you bring that up.”

Was it a compliment? A jab? A little of both? Regardless, it added another log to the fire.

National Buzz and a Reality Check

To add a little more fuel to the fire, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recently weighed in on Sumrall’s rising stock in the coaching world and the odds of him returning to Kentucky if and when the job opens up.

“Tulane’s Jon Sumrall is still the top candidate from a non-Power 4 school. I’d be a bit surprised if he’s not leading an SEC program in 2026 or shortly after,” Rittenberg wrote.

“Sumrall is an Alabama native who played linebacker at Kentucky and coached both at his alma mater and at Ole Miss in 2018. He will be the top name mentioned whenever the Mark Stoops era ends at Kentucky, but his return is far from a guarantee. Sumrall could look to other SEC jobs where making the CFP seems a bit more realistic.”

Ouch. That last line stings a bit. Not just because it’s honest, but because it reflects the current perception of Kentucky’s ceiling compared to other SEC jobs.

What’s Next for BBN?

For now, BBN watches and waits. This weekend may not feature a Kentucky game, but the ripple effects of Saturday’s action especially in Oxford could be felt all the way to Lexington.

The narrative around Kentucky football is shifting, and the next chapter may already be unfolding down in New Orleans.