# UK football must 'turn the page' after Alabama loss, Stein says **Published:** 2026-09-15T19:24:51.000Z **Source:** [UK Athletics](https://ukathletics.com/news/2026/09/15/stein-cats-must-turn-the-page/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-football-must-turn-the-page-after-alabama-loss-stein-says LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky football head coach Will Stein acknowledged significant shortcomings following [the Wildcats' first loss of the season to Alabama on Saturday](https://ukathletics.com/news/2026/09/15/stein-cats-must-turn-the-page/), citing offensive struggles and poor game management as areas requiring immediate improvement. Kentucky scored 17 points in the first half at Kroger Field but was shut out in the second half, managing only one conversion on 14 third-down attempts while committing three turnovers. The offensive performance stood in stark contrast to the team's defensive effort, which Stein said was exceptional through much of the contest. "We've got to play better," Stein said. "There's lots to learn from the tape. It really starts with me. I've got to do a better job as head coach, get these guys really prepared to finish games." The head coach emphasized the importance of generating explosive offensive plays and converting third downs as Kentucky prepares for its first road game of the season against ninth-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday in College Station. Stein expressed respect for Aggies head coach Mike Elko while acknowledging the challenge posed by an elite opponent in a high-pressure environment. Despite the loss, Stein stressed that Kentucky must focus on what it can control rather than dwelling on the defeat. "It's still about us. It's our ability to play one snap at a time for four quarters," he said. "There's no poor me, no shoulda, woulda, coulda. We got beat in the last game, now it's time to turn the page and move on." The Wildcats will look to apply lessons from Saturday's loss in an SEC contest against one of the conference's top teams. ## Sources - [UK Athletics](https://ukathletics.com/news/2026/09/15/stein-cats-must-turn-the-page/) --- 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/2026/09/15/stein-cats-must-turn-the-page/.