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Illustration for UK coach Stein earns Dodd Trophy honor for Texas A&M upset
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UK coach Stein earns Dodd Trophy honor for Texas A&M upset

· Source: UK Athletics

Kentucky football coach Will Stein has been named Dodd Trophy National Coach of the Week following the Wildcats' 31-21 upset victory over No. 9 Texas A&M, according to UK Athletics. The award recognizes coaches who achieve significant victories while exemplifying the foundation's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

Stein's milestone marks the first time a Kentucky head coach has won a true road game against an Associated Press Top 10 opponent in his first season. The victory also represents Stein's first road win, first Southeastern Conference win and first win over a ranked opponent since taking over the program.

The Wildcats mounted a dramatic second-half surge after trailing 7-0 with two minutes remaining in the first half. Kentucky scored 28 unanswered points to build a three-score lead entering the fourth quarter, with the defense holding firm despite two late Texas A&M touchdowns. Quarterback Kenny Minchey completed 14 of 18 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while running back CJ Baxter Jr. contributed 87 rushing yards and two scores. Receiver DJ Miller hauled in five receptions for 96 yards. Kentucky forced two interceptions while committing no turnovers.

The win marked the program's highest-ranked victory since defeating No. 6 Ole Miss on the road in 2024. It extended Kentucky's streak to 12 consecutive seasons with at least one on-field SEC road win.

"Coach Stein has announced his arrival to the head coaching ranks in impressive fashion," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "In a conference full of strong teams, his program looks ready to compete with the very best."

Kentucky returns to action on Saturday at Kroger Field against South Alabama, with kickoff set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from UK Athletics. The original source is available at https://ukathletics.com/news/2026/09/21/will-stein-named-dodd-trophy-national-coach-of-the-week/. How we make these.
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