Upcoming Kentucky Wildcats Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Kentucky football in brief: an 1881 program with a Bear Bryant legacy
Kentucky Wildcats football tickets get you into Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, the University of Kentucky's on-campus stadium, for a home schedule that usually runs from early September through late November. At about 61,000 seats, it is one of the smaller stadiums in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), which keeps most seats relatively close to the field.
The program played its first season in 1881, making it one of the oldest in the sport, and has competed in the SEC since 1932. Its high point came under Bear Bryant, who coached in Lexington from 1946 through 1953. The 1950 team won the SEC championship, finished 11–1 and beat No. 1 Oklahoma 13–7 in the Sugar Bowl that closed the season, ending the Sooners' 31-game winning streak. Kentucky claims a national championship for 1950. The program's other SEC title, for 1976, was awarded retroactively in 1978.
Kentucky's colors, blue and white, trace to 1891, and the fight song is "On, On, U of K." Notable alumni include Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and kicker George Blanda. Through recent seasons, the program had appeared in 23 bowl games with a 12–11 record.
Where to sit at Kroger Field
Kroger Field opened on September 15, 1973, as Commonwealth Stadium, with 57,800 seats; Kentucky beat Virginia Tech 31–26 in the first game. It is the newest stadium in the SEC by date of original construction. In 1999 both ends were enclosed and 40 suites were added, ten in each corner, creating a symmetrical oval bowl. A renovation completed before the 2015 season added a new press box, loge boxes, club seats and suites while reducing capacity to about 61,000. The name changed to Kroger Field in 2017 under a naming-rights deal, the first of its kind in the SEC. The playing surface is the C. M. Newton Grounds.
Because the bowl is fully enclosed and compact, the seating choices are straightforward:
- Sideline between the 30-yard lines: The best overall view and the most expensive area on the resale market. The club seats and loge boxes added in 2015 are sold through the athletics department and rarely reach the open market.
- Corners: Corner seats near the goal line offer a good angle on plays heading toward that end zone and are usually priced below the sideline. The 1999 corner suites sit above them.
- End zones: Since the ends were enclosed, end-zone seats ring the field; they are the usual value option for a big game, though the far end of the field is hard to judge from low rows.
- Upper rows: In a stadium of this size, a high sideline seat is not as remote as it is in a 90,000-seat bowl, and it often beats a low end-zone seat for following the game.
Students and the visiting team's fans each receive an allotment placed by the athletics department; check the current seating map before buying so you do not land in a section you did not intend. The stadium's orientation and shade pattern are not published in detail, so for an early-season day game, bring sun protection regardless of side.
Rivalries and the games that fill Lexington
Kentucky's biggest home crowds come for a short list of opponents:
- Louisville: The in-state game for the Governor's Cup is the program's defining rivalry. The modern series restarted in 1994 and has been closely contested. The site alternates between Lexington and Louisville.
- Tennessee: The longest-running SEC rivalry for Kentucky. Tennessee leads the series by a wide margin, and a wooden beer barrel served as the trophy from 1925 through 1997 before it was retired. Kentucky's 10–7 win in 2011 ended a long losing streak in the series.
- Florida: Florida won 31 straight meetings from 1987 through 2017. Kentucky broke the streak in 2018, and the series has been more competitive since.
- Vanderbilt: Played annually since 1953, rotating between Lexington and Nashville.
Attendance history shows where demand peaks. The 1999 Tennessee game drew 71,022, a stadium record until the 2007 Florida game drew 71,024; both were set before the 2015 renovation reduced capacity. Expect the strongest resale demand for Louisville and Tennessee in years they visit Lexington, for any opponent ranked in the top 10 and for night kickoffs. Early-season nonconference games are typically the easiest tickets of the year.
Memorable moments at Kroger Field
The stadium has hosted several games still discussed across the SEC:
- The Bluegrass Miracle (November 9, 2002): With no time left, LSU completed a deflected 74-yard Hail Mary to win 33–30, one of the most replayed finishes in conference history.
- Seven overtimes against Arkansas (2003): A game at the stadium took seven overtime periods to decide.
- No. 1 LSU (October 13, 2007): Kentucky beat the top-ranked Tigers 43–37 in triple overtime.
- The 2018 run: Kentucky won ten games in 2018, ended the Florida streak and beat Louisville 56–10, then beat Penn State in the Citrus Bowl.
Gameday in Lexington
Since 1999, fireworks have been launched from atop the suites when the Wildcats take the field, after every Kentucky score and after every win. LED lights installed in 2024 allow light shows during breaks and after scores, which makes night games especially lively. New video boards measuring 37 by 100 feet went up in 2022.
Tailgating spreads across the lots around the stadium at Alumni Drive and University Drive. Lot assignments, tent rules and parking passes are tied to donor levels and change by season. As of recent seasons, the athletics department publishes a clear-bag policy for Kroger Field; check its current bag, parking and mobile-ticket rules on the official Kroger Field page before you go.
How Kentucky football tickets work
Season-ticket holders hold most of Kroger Field, and seat priority is tied to donations to the athletics department's booster program. Students draw from their own allotment. When single-game tickets go on sale to the public, the best sideline seats for Louisville, Tennessee and other marquee opponents rarely reach a public sale.
That is why the resale market is where many fans find seats for the biggest games. Prices follow the opponent, the teams' records, the kickoff time and late-November weather. In a smaller stadium, supply for a high-demand game tightens quickly, while early-season games often offer good sideline seats at modest resale prices. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Coaching staffs and rosters change; check ukathletics.com for the current staff and schedule rather than relying on earlier seasons.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Kentucky Wildcats play home football games?
Kentucky plays at Kroger Field, formerly Commonwealth Stadium, on the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington. It opened in 1973 and seats about 61,000 after a 2015 renovation.
Has Kentucky won a national championship in football?
Kentucky claims the 1950 national championship. That Bear Bryant team won the SEC title and beat No. 1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
What is Kentucky's biggest football rivalry?
Louisville, with the Governor's Cup at stake. Tennessee is the longest-running SEC rivalry, and Florida and Vanderbilt are traditional conference opponents.
Why is Kroger Field also called Commonwealth Stadium?
It opened as Commonwealth Stadium in 1973 and was renamed Kroger Field in 2017 under a naming-rights agreement, the first such stadium deal in the SEC.
Does Kroger Field have a clear-bag policy?
As of recent seasons, the athletics department publishes a clear-bag policy for Kroger Field. Check the current rules on the official stadium page before you go, because bag policies change.