# SEC Morning Report: Kentucky Backs Minchey After Alabama Pulls Away, Mizzou Celebrates Border War Rout **Published:** 2026-09-13 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield **Category:** daily-roundup — **Type:** daily-roundup **Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/sec-morning-report-kentucky-minchey-alabama-mizzou-border-war **Teams:** [Alabama](https://secscouts.com/alabama/), [Auburn](https://secscouts.com/auburn/), [Georgia](https://secscouts.com/georgia/), [Missouri](https://secscouts.com/missouri/), [Ole Miss](https://secscouts.com/ole-miss/), [Vanderbilt](https://secscouts.com/vanderbilt/) --- ## LEAD STORY: Stein Stands By Minchey After Second-Half Collapse Against Alabama Kentucky's upset hopes at Kroger Field evaporated after halftime Saturday, as No. 12 Alabama seized the lead in the third quarter and rolled to a 45-17 win. The Wildcats were shut out over the final two quarters, with their second-half possessions ending in a punt, a fumble, a turnover on downs, another punt, another turnover on downs and a second fumble. Senior quarterback Kenny Minchey, making just the second start of his college career after transferring from Notre Dame, finished 18-of-31 for 146 yards with a touchdown and an interception that was returned for a score, plus a lost fumble after halftime. He was sharper early — 9-of-17 for 86 yards in a first half that produced a touchdown and a field goal on six drives — but Alabama's pressure took over from there. The Crimson Tide collapsed the pocket repeatedly, recording multiple sacks including two in the third quarter, and Kentucky's offense devolved into check-downs. Head coach Will Stein left no doubt about the depth chart afterward. "You got to take care of the football," Stein said. "Listen, the kid competed. He's our guy. We're gonna ride with him no matter what. He's an elite competitor. He's really smart, and there'll be plenty to learn from the tape." The fixes ahead are clear: better protection up front, more designed movement and RPOs to get Minchey out of a crumbling pocket, and a passing game willing to push the ball downfield. ## QUICK HITS - **Missouri 38, Kansas 21:** The Tigers took the Border War in Lawrence on Friday night and brought the drum trophy home. Donavan Olugbode (6 catches, 121 yards) and Cayden Lee (6 catches, 120 yards) torched the Jayhawk secondary, Jamal Roberts pounded out 125 rushing yards on a 4.5-yard average, and Jahlil Florence grabbed his first interception since his sophomore season at Oregon. One blemish: kicker Blake Craig had two field goal attempts blocked, keeping special teams on the worry list. - **Georgia 70, Western Kentucky 20:** The Bulldogs buried the Hilltoppers at Sanford Stadium on Saturday in a game that was never in doubt, piling up 70 points in front of the Athens faithful. - **Vanderbilt 2-0:** The Commodores handled Delaware in front of another sellout crowd in Nashville, moving to 2-0 on the young season. - **Texas faces the top-ranked Buckeyes:** Steve Sarkisian met the media after the Longhorns' showdown with No. 1 Ohio State — full postgame video is available via the school site. - **Ole Miss tennis rolling in Milwaukee:** Junior Kai Milburn and sophomore Igor Kudriashov advanced to the doubles final at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic on Saturday, with both Rebels also reaching the singles semifinals. ## PORTAL WATCH A quiet 12 hours on the transfer front — no new SEC portal entries or commitments to report. With the season in full swing, expect movement to stay minimal until injuries and depth-chart shakeups start forcing decisions. ## RECRUITING BUZZ No new commitments in the last 12 hours. The recruiting cycle takes a back seat on game weekends, but official visitors were on campuses across the league for Saturday's slate — fallout from those trips typically surfaces early in the week. ## GAMES TO WATCH No SEC football is scheduled today, making this a Sunday for film review and recovery. There is still competition on the calendar: No. 2 Auburn men's golf opens its 2026-27 season today at the 18th Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio, running Sept. 13-15 at the Inverness Club. And in Oxford, Ole Miss men's tennis plays for a doubles title at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic. Football returns next weekend, headlined by Missouri's 100th anniversary game against Troy under the lights at Faurot Field and Florida turning its attention to a date with Auburn. --- *Original article: [SEC Morning Report: Kentucky Backs Minchey After Alabama Pulls Away, Mizzou Celebrates Border War Rout](https://secscouts.com/news/sec-morning-report-kentucky-minchey-alabama-mizzou-border-war) — SEC Scouts*