# Kentucky's third down problem is about to get worse

> Kentucky just went 1 for 14 on third down against Alabama, and the next defense on the schedule is built the same way.
- Title: Kentucky's third down problem is about to get worse | Shortify
- Summary: Kentucky just went 1 for 14 on third down against Alabama, and the next defense on the schedule is built the same way. Kentucky cannot convert third downs…
- Keywords: kentucky football, texas a&m, sec, defense, third down, sports, Kentucky's, third, problem, get, worse, Kentucky Wildcats On SI
- Source: Kentucky Wildcats On SI — https://si.com/college/kentucky/football/kentucky-football-will-face-another-tough-defense-against-texas-a-m
- Published: 2026-09-15T13:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: kentucky football, texas a&m, sec, defense, third down, sports
## Alabama pulled away fast
Kentucky's offense sputtered all afternoon against the 12th-ranked Crimson Tide, then fell apart after halftime. Alabama closed on a 32-0 run and the game was over.

> aiding in Alabama's incredible 32-0 run to run away with the game
## One for fourteen
The number that explains the whole day: Kentucky converted a single third down in 14 attempts. Drives kept ending before they started.

> the Wildcats converted one third down out of 14 tries
## Alabama is the best at it
Some credit goes to the opponent. Alabama has the nation's top third down defense, allowing one conversion on 23 tries across two games.
## Not a one week blip
Kentucky was already shaky here. In week 1 against Youngstown State, an FCS opponent, the Wildcats went 3 for 8 on third down.

> they also went just 3-8 on third down against Youngstown State in week 1
## Next stop, College Station
Kentucky now travels to face the 8th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, a team whose defense is built along the same lines as the one that just shut them out in the second half.
## Same wall, different logo
Texas A&M ranks 8th nationally in third down defense. Opponents have converted four of 22 through two weeks, numbers that sit right next to Alabama's.
## Ask Arizona State
The Sun Devils found out in College Station, finishing 3 for 12 on third down in a 48-20 loss.

> Arizona State went just 3-12 there on Saturday.
## Two pick sixes in a quarter
Arizona State hung around until the fourth, when A&M's defense ended it. A defensive end took one 55 yards after Cutter Boley got hit mid-throw, and Julio Humphrey returned another 45.

> In the final quarter, Texas A&M tallied two pick-sixes and helped the team pull away from Arizona State
## Depth broke the game open
The Aggies were not dominant for four quarters. They were fresh when it counted, rotating bodies late while Arizona State wore down.

> Texas A&M's defense was not on-point all game, but they were clutch when it mattered
## The pass rush feeds it
Getting to the quarterback is the engine behind everything else. A&M ranks 15th in scoring defense and is giving up 10 points a game.

> Texas A&M is allowing just 10 points per game through two weeks.
## No soft spot to attack
A&M sits 28th against the pass and 22nd against the run, so there is no obvious weak side to lean on. Two weeks is a small sample, but the front looks real.

> Up front, Texas A&M looks legit and they proved it late against Arizona State.
## The schedule gets no kinder
Alabama is done. Texas A&M is Saturday. LSU is still out there. Kentucky's season will be defined by how it handles three of the best defenses in college football.

> Next to LSU and Alabama, Texas A&M is going to end up being one of the toughest defenses Kentucky will face all season.
## Key takeaway

Kentucky cannot convert third downs, and Texas A&M is the eighth-best third down defense in the country waiting at Kyle Field.