ESPN predicts the winner between Kentucky and Southern Miss

Will Kentucky get it done against Southern Miss in Week 1?

Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff (12) dropped back for a pass during the Kentucky Wildcats' Blue White scrimmage at Kroger Field on Saturday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky. April 13, 2024 / Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kentucky football team is getting ready for the 2024 season, and the Wildcats are returning a lot of key pieces. While a lot of these key pieces are coming back, there are also a lot of new players the coaching staff brought in via the transfer portal. In Kentucky's week one matchup with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, fans will find out a lot about what this football team has.

When a team is throwing out a new starting quarterback, week one is even more telling, and that is the case for the Kentucky Wildcats with Brock Vandagriff. For years, Vandagriff was the backup for the Georgia Bulldogs, and now he will have a chance to be a starter for the Wildcats. Vandagriff's play this season will decide everything for the Wildcats. If he outperforms expectations, this team will be great. If he doesn't have a good year, it will be tough sledding for Mark Stoops's Wildcats this year.

While there are some question marks surrounding this Kentucky Football team, ESPN doesn't seem to think the Wildcats will have any issue taking down the Golden Eagles as they give the Wildcats an 85.9% chance to get this win at home.

The Wildcats will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in week two of the season, which is one of the most important swing games of the season. If Kentucky is able to win this game, it will make 8-4 much easier for Coach Stoops to get done this season. Kentucky's 2024 season will come down to the play of Vandagriff.