LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Ahead of the 2026 college football season, the Kentucky Wildcats took some time after practice Saturday to greet members of the Big Blue Nation as part of Meet the Team Day. "It's awesome. I mean, they are what makes us go. We talk about a sense of urgency. I want our team to look a certain way for Big Blue Nation. They are the heartbeat of our team, of our university. They make this thing go, and without them we're nothing. So the ability to see kids, men, women, everybody, they're here to support our players. It's big," Head Coach Will Stein said.
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Fans filled the concourse of Kroger Field to get autographs from players, meet Stein and even get a surprise visit from new athletics director J Batt. "I've been to places like Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. The teams in places like that, the rivals. But this conference means a lot to a lot of these people, and that's why I love it. Everything that happens on and off the field represents the conference. It's just the best in the world," Kentucky fan Trevor Adams said. While the Cats have yet to play a game, fans are already believing in what Stein is building in Lexington.
Read more of the latest UK sports news "Him sitting in the spotlight and explaining why he thinks he'll be successful at Kentucky, that's huge. You're going to catch me at almost every home game. I'm going to be somewhere, and I'm going to be cheering them on. I think he's going to have a lot of success here," fan Reece Sponcil said. Kentucky opens its season Sept. 5 at home against Youngstown State. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.