Kentucky's Will Stein rightfully named the midseason Coach of the Year

The 2026 college football season is about halfway over. It has been fast and furious, and enough football has been played that certain declarations are becoming easier to make.

For instance, Ohio State Buckeyes wideout Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football and one of the greatest college wide receivers of all-time. In seven games, he's caught 52 passes for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he still has five regular-season games to go.

Here's another declaration: The Texas A&M Aggies have been a massive disappointment. After starting the season ranked No. 8 in the nation, the Aggies are 4-3 and just 1-3 against SEC opponents. They're unranked now after having lost to the Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers and Missouri Tigers.

Speaking of the Wildcats, he doesn't have it wrapped up yet, but first-year head coach Will Stein is certainly trending to be college football's Coach of the Year.

After moving on from longtime head coach Mark Stoops after Kentucky went 23-27 from 2022 to 2025, Stein has the Wildcats humming in his first season as head coach.

His Wildcats are 6-1 and ranked No. 12 in the country after beating Youngstown State, No. 9 Texas A&M, South Alabama, South Carolina, No. 10 LSU and Oklahoma.

The Wildcats are 4-1 in SEC play, and that one loss, to No. 12 Alabama, saw them play the Crimson Tide tight for during the first half.

They're tied atop the SEC standings with No. 5 Georgia and No. 11 Tennessee, and Stein is drawing rave reviews as a head coach.

In fact, On3 recently named him the midseason Coach of the Year.

"Stein coaches the way you played on Saturday afternoons in the backyard when the neighborhood kids gathered to play a pickup football game," On3's Chris Low wrote. "He’s going for it on every play, especially two-point conversions, and breathes energy and passion into everybody around him."

Will Stein has infused the Kentucky Wildcats with energy 

Kentucky has played great football, but Stein needs to keep his team locked in. Week 8 sees the Wildcats play Vanderbilt in what should be a winnable game, but games at No. 11 Tennessee, against No. 20 Florida, at No. 22 Missouri and against Louisville remain on Kentucky's schedule.

If Kentucky runs the table and finishes the season 11-1, Stein will almost certainly be the Coach of the Year. The Wildcats would also be in the College Football Playoff

Even if not, though, the 37-year-old head coach has quickly turned around the fate of the Wildcats, and he's brought an infectious energy with him to Lexington.