Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, Shannon Davis
Location: KS Bar and Grill
Theme: SEC Football Schedule Shake-Up, UK Fan Travel, and SEC Off-Field Drama

Overview

Hour 1 of this KSR episode dives deep into the Kentucky Wildcats' newly announced SEC football schedule for the next four years, exploring both the challenges and unique quirks it brings. The crew also discusses the lighter and more dramatic side of SEC life—including a headline-grabbing story about Lane Kiffin’s daughter dating LSU’s star linebacker. Throughout, the segment remains true to KSR’s tone—cutting, humorous, and always fan-focused, with plenty of banter about road trips, rivalry relationships, and a touch of personal history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking Down Kentucky’s Upcoming SEC Football Schedule

[03:09–13:03]

• Schedule Announced: Kentucky’s SEC opponents for the next four years were released, revealing both expected and surprising matchups.

  • Three permanent opponents: South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida.
  • Kentucky will play at South Carolina three out of the next four years.
  • Florida visits Lexington three in the next four years.
  • Introduction of Texas A&M and Oklahoma into regular rotation.
  • Transition to a nine-game SEC schedule, with years alternating between five and four home games.

• Fan Reactions & Analysis:

  • Drew Franklin: "What a gauntlet Kentucky has to go through...it was just a big wow seeing it all put together last night." [05:22]
  • Ryan Lemond: "It is kind of sticker shock. Like Drew said, when you see who you've got to...it's kind of like you do have sticker shock." [06:05]
  • Shannon Davis: "That's life in the SEC. You just got to get used to it. Going to nine games in the SEC now...I don't know, are they going to keep these in order?" [06:14]

• Key Quirks:

  • Odd rotations: e.g., Texas A&M will make their first appearance at Kroger Field in 2028—over a decade after joining the SEC. [09:44]
  • Schedule can create "Murderers Row" road stretches, notably 2028's at-Tennessee, at-Alabama, at-LSU, at-South Carolina run.
  • Every two years, home-and-home switches occur with non-permanents.

• Favorite Road Trips/Bucket List:

  • Drew Franklin: "I gotta get to Baton Rouge." [13:21]
  • Shannon Davis: "Texas A and M would probably be my pick for next year." [14:09]
  • Ryan Lemond: "I've still not been to Oxford the last two years." [13:26]
  • Austin, TX praised for atmosphere: "I've never been anything like that that didn't feel like Kentucky athletics plays the same sport as that school." [14:35]

2. Fan Life: House Divided and Rival Relationships

[19:00–27:38]

• Lane Kiffin’s Daughter & LSU Linebacker Whit Weeks: The surprising news that Ole Miss’ head coach Lane Kiffin’s daughter, Landry, is dating LSU’s defensive star Whit Weeks, just as the teams are about to play each other.

  • Drew Franklin: "The heart wants what it wants. So congratulations to the happy couple. Can be a little awkward at home..." [20:19]
  • Kiffin’s reaction—tweeting “take the over”—is interpreted as both a joke and possible gamesmanship.
  • Panel jokes about inside info, family drama, and "gamesmanship on another level." [21:11]
  • Discussion about who has more to prove: Kiffin or Weeks.
  • Imagining awkward family gatherings if the relationship gets serious and the game results are brought up:
    Shannon Davis: "If ... Whit Weeks ends up marrying Lane Kiffin's daughter, he's going to have this over his stepdad for the rest of their life." [24:05]

• Rivalry in Relationships:

  • The hosts joke about whether they could ever date or marry someone from a rival school or with divided sports loyalties. (“Couldn’t do it,” says Drew. [25:55])
  • Personal stories about dating in high school and navigating rivalries.
  • Ryan Lemond: "It was just a little weird when we played that team and she was sitting with her classmates from her school." [26:46]

3. Listener Calls and Old School UK Trivia

[30:48–38:52]

• Callers reminisce about historical UK games:

  • Gene notes Kentucky played Oklahoma at Commonwealth Stadium in 1982; personal anecdote about attending on his wife's due date. [30:48]
  • Discussion of basketball player Trent Noah’s likely breakout year and Mark Pope's coaching philosophy on player development.

• Fan Question: Why is the schedule so quirky (e.g., back-to-back home or away games against the same teams)?

  • Drew Franklin: Emphasizes it’s a “hard reset,” not based on recent history. Every SEC school has odd repeats; admin did the best possible figuring out the puzzle. [38:17]

Notable Quotes

• Drew Franklin:

  • "What a gauntlet Kentucky has to go through...it was just a big wow seeing it all put together last night." [05:22]
  • "I enjoy hosting [LSU] a lot more than playing there, but that is one I want to get to in 2028." [33:35]
  • "The heart wants what it wants. So congratulations to the happy couple. Can be a little awkward at home." [20:19]
  • "I couldn't do it. Mine would be at home when you want to watch the game. And I don't want that on the tv." [25:55]

• Ryan Lemond:

  • "It is kind of sticker shock. Like Drew said, when you see who you've got...it's kind of like you do have sticker shock." [06:05]
  • "I've still not been to Oxford the last two years. ..." [13:26]
  • "I may be the only guy who's actually called hogs." [49:55]

• Shannon Davis:

  • "That's life in the SEC. You just got to get used to it. Going to nine games in the SEC now..." [06:14]
  • "Texas A and M would probably be my pick for next year." [14:09]
  • "If ... Whit Weeks ends up marrying Lane Kiffin's daughter...he's going to have this over his stepdad for the rest of their life." [24:05]

Fun Moments & Memorable Segments

• Bucket List Road Trips:

  • Around [13:10] the panel gets personal (“Which one would you pull off?”), sparking a run of favorite stadium tales and aims to finally see Cats play in Baton Rouge or Oxford.

• Coach Kiffin’s Daughter & SEC "Espionage":

  • Joking about Lane’s daughter potentially spying for Ole Miss or dating for “inside scoop.” “That's gamesmanship on another level, is it not?” [21:11]
  • Panel laughs about social media “hard launches” and whether the whole thing is a Kiffin hype stunt. “This is just another Lane doing something online is what I see.” [29:24]

• Relationship Rivalry Stories:

  • “Did you date a school girl in high school that went to a rival high school?” [25:20] leads to funny, slightly awkward adolescence memories.

• Listener "Fun Fact" Call:

  • Gene recalls his wife’s due date at the Oklahoma game. “She was there on her due date...next weekend she actually had the baby.” [30:48]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• SEC Football Schedule Reaction: [03:09–13:03]
• SEC Away Game Road Trip Wish List: [13:03–15:15]
• Lane Kiffin’s Daughter vs. LSU Drama: [19:00–24:05]
• Rival Relationships & Fan Rivalry Talk: [24:05–27:38]
• Listener Call: UK vs. Oklahoma History: [30:48–31:44]
• Basketball Practice & Trent Noah Segment: [34:23–36:50]
• Schedule Quirks & SEC Admin Challenges: [38:17–39:19]
• Upcoming Remote Shows and KSR Events: [47:59–51:25]

Tone & Style

Conversational, playful, and slightly irreverent, the hosts blend fan empathy with humor, taking shots at SEC quirks while revealing their own fan and life stories. Quotes are often tongue-in-cheek or self-deprecating, as the hosts both commiserate and poke fun at what it means to root for Kentucky in this new era of the SEC.

Conclusion

This hour of KSR is essential listening for any Kentucky fan wanting a breakdown of the new SEC football schedule and insight into the life of a traveling (and sometimes long-suffering) Big Blue Nation member. It also provides a look at the SEC’s wild off-field stories and how fandom and rivalry sneak into every part of life—be it personal relationships or family dinners after the big game. The episode perfectly captures why KSR remains Kentucky’s top destination for sports news, fan camaraderie, and unfiltered UK talk.