The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kentucky
No. 25/No. 18 Soccer preview: at Kentucky
10.08.2026 | Soccer
Longhorns face Wildcats for first time since 2009.
#25/18 TEXAS VS. KENTUCKY
Date: Oct. 9, 2026
Where: Ole Miss Soccer Stadium
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network+
Live stats: texas.statbroadcast.com
THE MATCHUP — For the first time in 17 years, Texas and Kentucky will face off on the pitch. The two sides have played just twice previously, with the Longhorns taking both ends of a home-and-home in 2008 and 2009. In the first head-to-head meeting in Lexington, Texas scored three times across a two-minute span to record a 3-1 win. During the 2009 campaign, the Longhorns registered a 2-0 victory over the Wildcats in Austin.
A LOOK AT THE LONGHORNS — As of Oct. 8, Texas sports the No. 14 RPI in the country. Texas has compiled four road wins, which is the second-most in the Southeastern Conference behind only No. 5/4 Alabama. The Longhorns have earned a spot in the top-25 in each of the last five weeks, highlighted by being slotted at No. 16 by Top Drawer Soccer on Sept. 7.
LAST TIME OUT — Behind Amalia Villarreal's second-half brace, Texas posted a 2-1 comeback victory over No. 21/18 Oklahoma at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Villarreal registered an equalizer for the Longhorns in the 68th minute before mounting the game-winner less than 15 minutes later. The 5-foot-2 midfielder totaled nine of Texas' 20 attempts, with her final shot proving to be the difference. Meanwhile, the Longhorns held Oklahoma to only six tries on target. Goalkeeper Bayliss Flynn notched five saves in the victory, limiting one of the nation's most potent offenses to a co-season-low one goal. With the result, Texas notched its 200th win at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
LOCK IT DOWN — The Longhorns have been one of the strongest defensive teams nationally midway through conference play. Under one of the best defensive minds in collegiate soccer, Margueritte Bates' club has drawn its opponents offside 30 times in the last six matches. Across their first six contests, the Longhorns forced their opposition offside on just seven occasions. As of Oct. 8, Texas has conceded the sixth-fewest goals in the SEC. The Longhorns have outscored their opponents, 22-10, while yielding just 6.4 shots on target per match. For only the third time in program history, Texas posted five clean sheets through its first seven matches. The 2026 squad is just the second Texas team to have[allowed a school-best one tally through four contests alongside the 2008 squad. Meanwhile, senior Bayliss Flynn became just the second Longhorn goalkeeper to record back-to-back shutouts in their first two starts at Texas in the program's illustrious 33-year history, joining Dana Hall in 2003.
