⚡ CFB Dashboard

Twas the morning of kick off for Kentucky football's 2026 season and all through the Commonwealth, every creature was stirring. Probably even the mice. As visions of touchdowns and fireworks danced in the heads of the fans, Kentucky Athletics Director and Champions Blue LLC J Batt had a special update on the KSR pregame show. Kentucky fifth-year defender Alex Afari Jr. is cleared to play. Sure enough, upon arriving at Kroger Field, Afari Jr. is listed clearly on Kentucky football's 2026 roster, now donning the No. 9 as an inside linebacker. Of course, Batt would clarify that whether or not he played was up to head coach Will Stein, but the message was clear: if Stein wants him, he has him. Afari Jr. had been granted a TRO on Wednesday, making him immediately eligible to play for the Wildcats this season after a rollercoaster of a fall that first saw Afari have eligibility, lose it and gain it back again as part of the lawsuits surrounding the NCAA's botched implementation of the new five-for-five eligibility model. Despite that, Stein lowered expectations during his week one SEC teleconference call and radio show, saying there were still "some things that have to happen" before the first-year head coach would feel comfortable putting Afari Jr. on the field. While Stein never revealed specifically what those "things" are or if they've been met yet, the NCAA did lose its appeal to re-make Afari eligible, seemingly paving the way for Kentucky to have the freedom to play him if it should choose to do so. Afari Jr. is a career Wildcat with 31 collegiate starts and could immediately address some linebacker concerns UK may have assuming he's in game shape despite an off-and-on fall camp. His teammates, notably Sam Greene and Grant Godfrey, have spoken about the value of his return as a veteran leader with real SEC experience. "It's been fun," Greene said during fall camp. "That's a great addition. I feel like we definitely, definitely needed A-3." "It's been great," Godfrey said during week one. "I've been here with Alex my whole days. He's still barely practicing, still figuring it out, but if we get him back, it'll be a big plus for our team." Of course, Godfrey's comments put his playing status in doubt, highlighting the fact that Afari Jr. hasn't been through the same practice regiment the rest of Stein's debut roster has. On the flip side, an FCS showdown against Youngstown State, albeit a very talented Penguins squad, could be the perfect opportunity to see just how game-ready Afari Jr. really is. At the end of the day, all that's left to do is wait and see, but, if nothing else, the option of playing Afari Jr. makes UK's season-opener just that much more enticing. The Wildcats will kick off against Youngstown State at 1 p.m. ET from Kroger Field with the game set to air live on the SEC Network+.