Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Kentucky Football: Wildcats To Host Eastern Kentucky In 2017

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Kentucky football team has a surprising addition to its 2017 schedule. Find out which in-state rival Kentucky paid $500,000 to play again.

The 2017 schedule has been released for the Kentucky football program. For the most part, the schedule is as one would expect it to be; there’s a rematch with Southern Miss, a clash with Eastern Michigan, and a number of in-conference wars to wage.

The Wildcats have added an unexpected opponent to the schedule, however, with redemption likely on their minds.

It may be too early to look ahead to 2017, as head coach Mark Stoops is attempting to pull Kentucky out of an 0-2 hole. The scheduling for next season is quite surprising, however, and one game in particular jumps off the page.

According to Jennifer Smith of The Herald-Leader, the Wildcats paid a hefty fee to secure a home game against Eastern Kentucky in 2017.

The contract, which was finalized in January, is a one-game deal in which Kentucky pays a flat $500,000 fee to Eastern Kentucky ($50,000 more than UK had to pay for the 2015 game) for the contest at Commonwealth Stadium with no return commitment.

Here’s hoping the Wildcats aren’t paying $500,000 for a loss.

Securing a win over an in-state opponent could be quite the confidence-booster for Kentucky in 2017. This clash with Eastern Kentucky could prove troublesome, however, as the Colonels nearly upset the Wildcats in 2015.

For those who forget, Kentucky needed overtime to overcome Eastern Kentucky 34-27.

That win moved Kentucky to 4-1.

Having struggled to beat the in-state rival already, Kentucky needs to secure a commanding victory in 2017. The roster will certainly be improved by then, as a number of Stoops’ recruits received significant hype coming out of high school.

The hope is that Kentucky can secure this necessary victory over Eastern Kentucky in 2016.

If it does so in more convincing fashion than it was able to in 2015, confidence could be built and a successful season could be achieved.