Kentucky Wildcats fall to Alabama Crimson Tide in college football Week 11 SEC game

Coverage from the game:

C.L. Brown: It's not that Kentucky football is losing. Cats haven't competed against SEC's best

Where does UK football go from here? With 3 games left, offense hasn't delivered as expected

Coverage during the game:

LEXINGTON — Kentucky has an opportunity for a program-defining victory Saturday.

UK hosts No. 8 Alabama at noon. The Crimson Tide enters on a seven-game win streak after dropping a non-conference game to Texas two months ago.

History isn't in the Wildcats' favor by any measure. They trail in the all-time series versus the Crimson Tide 2-38-1. And UK is just 1-19-1 against ranked Alabama squads.

While Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has lifted the program from a cellar dweller to a perennial bowl participant — the Wildcats are bowl bound for the eighth straight season, a school record — one area he's struggled to break away from the team's past: struggling versus top-10 foes.

UK has faced 18 opponents ranked in the AP top 10 during Stoops' tenure, which began with the 2013 season.

The Wildcats' record in those contests: 1-17.

Kentucky's lone win came against then-No. 10 Florida, 20-13, in 2021.

If the Wildcats can stem the Crimson Tide Saturday, it will be the highest-ranked opponent a Stoops-led squad has ever felled.

The Courier Journal's Ryan Black, C.L. Brown and Scott Utterback are at Kroger Field and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow them on X at @RyanABlack, @clbrownhoops and @Utterback13.

Alabama 49, Kentucky 21 (4Q, 7:46)

Ramon Jefferson's 74-yard run set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Ray Davis.

Alabama 49, Kentucky 14 (4Q, 9:46)

Running back Jam Miller scored on a 3-yard touchdown run as the Tide's backups have taken charge in the game.

Alabama 42, Kentucky 14 (4Q, 14:47)

Bama's Jalen Milroe has now accounted for six touchdowns -- three rushing, three passing -- with a 1-yard touchdown plunge.

Alabama 35, Kentucky 14 (3Q, 6:29)

Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe records his second rushing TD of the game, taking it in from the 3-yard line.

Alabama 28, Kentucky 14 (3Q, 10:53)

Kentucky running back Ray Davis scores his first touchdown of the day, and 15th of the season, to help the hosts trim Alabama's lead to 14. The 2-yard TD run capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive.

HALFTIME: Alabama 28, Kentucky 7

Alabama 28, Kentucky 7 (2Q, 10:14)

Running back Roydell Williams slipped out of the backfield unaccounted for and caught a pass from Jalen Milroe he turned into a 27-yard touchdown. The play probably should have been whistled dead before the snap as two Bama players started in motion at the same time, but no flag was thrown.

Alabama 21, Kentucky 7 (1Q, 1:30)

Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary finds receiver Tayvion Robinson in the right corner of the end zone for a 6-yard score. The scoring possession came after an Alabama turnover: a fumble on a punt following a three-and-out for UK.

Alabama 21, Kentucky 0 (1Q, 5:12)

Milroe caps another scoring drive for Alabama. This time, however, he ends it with his feet instead of his arm. Milroe punched it in from the 1-yard line on a one-play scoring drive following a fumble by Kentucky receiver Barion Brown.

Alabama 14, Kentucky 0 (1Q, 5:32)

Milroe tosses his second TD in as many possessions. He capped this one with a 40-yard pass to Kobe Prentice.

Alabama 7, Kentucky 0 (1Q, 9:38)

Crimson Tide signal caller Jalen Milroe hits tight end Amari Niblack on a 26-yard scoring strike to get the visitors on the board first.

Kentucky football injury update

UK cornerback Andru Phillips, who went down with an injury in last week's win over Mississippi State, was not dressed out Saturday. Wildcat running back JuTahn McClain also is out today after sustaining an injury against the Bulldogs.

Kentucky vs. Alabama football pregame reading

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Last time out: What we learned in Kentucky's streak-snapping win over Mississippi State

Kentucky football recruiting: Wildcats land one of program's highest-ranked commits ever in Brian Robinson

C.L. Brown: We're living in college football's world. But someone needs to champion roundball

Another slow start for UK basketball: Ahead of game vs. Kansas, Wildcats overcome sluggish beginning to beat Texas A&M-Commerce

C.L. Brown column: Tre Mitchell is making his mark at center. And it's key for UK basketball right now

'I'm not changing': Will John Calipari going all-in on freshmen pay off for UK in 2023-24?

How to watch Kentucky vs. Alabama football game

Who: No. 8 Alabama (8-1, 6-0 SEC) at Kentucky (6-3, 3-3)

When: Noon Saturday

Where: Kroger Field, Lexington

TV: ESPN

Radio: Tom Leach (play-by-play), Jeff Piecoro (analyst) and Dusty Bonner (sideline) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington and online at UKAthletics.com. The game also will be carried on satellite radio: Sirius (Channel 138), XM (Channel 190) and the SiriusXM app (Channel 961).

Streaming: Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky vs. Alabama football score: Mark Stoops, UK now 3-4 in SEC