There could be a major obstacle standing in the way of UK opening the 2009 season against Miami (Ohio) University at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium on Sept. 5, as Miami already has a game scheduled at Northwestern for that same date. Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips told ESPN.com’s Big Ten blogger, Adam Rittenberg, this week that he was unaware of Miami’s intentions to move the game and expects Miami to honor its signed contract for the game. Miami officials have not commented on the Kentucky game or its plans for its 2009 schedule.

UK has two available dates, Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, to fill the final void on its 2009 schedule. If the Cats had to settle for its open date on the season’s first week, they would be forced to play on 12 consecutive Saturdays.

The University of Kentucky will host Eastern Kentucky in the 2009 season. EKU released its schedule on Wednesday, and it includes a trip to Commonwealth Stadium to face the Wildcats on Nov. 7. Kentucky opened the 2007 season with a 50-10 win over the Colonels. UK’s entire 2009 schedule has not yet been finalized.

Game times have been identified for the 2008 Kentucky home football schedule and are listed below.
Important note: game times are confirmed only for the Norfolk State and Middle Tennessee games.  All other game times are tentative.  Beginning with games of Sept. 27, game times and television plans will be finalized 12 days in advance following the selections made by the Southeastern Conference’s TV partners - CBS, ESPN and Raycom Sports.

2008 Kentucky Football Schedule
(game times that are subject to change, beginning Sept. 27, marked with a *)

Aug. 31            at Louisville                  3:30 p.m., ESPN
Sept. 6             Norfolk State               6 p.m.
Sept. 13           Middle Tennessee         7 p.m.
Sept. 20           open
Sept. 27           Western Kentucky        7 p.m.*
Oct. 4              at Alabama                   TBA
Oct. 11            South Carolina              7 p.m.*
Oct. 18           Arkansas                      7 p.m.*
Oct. 25             at Florida                      TBA
Nov. 1             at Mississippi State       TBA
Nov. 8             Georgia                       1 p.m.*
Nov. 15            Vanderbilt                    1 p.m.*
Nov. 22            open
Nov. 29            at Tennessee                 TBA

Television Coverage for First Two Games:  Here is the television coverage for Kentucky’s first two home football games, vs. Norfolk State and Middle Tennessee.

Norfolk State (Sept. 6, 6 p.m. EDT)
-          Televised live within the state of Kentucky on pay-per-view basis (suggested price $24.95 in advance, $29.95 day of game; cable/satellite providers make final decision on pricing)
-          Kentucky residents interested in ordering the game should contact their cable/satellite provider
-     The game is under consideration to be picked up by ESPN GamePlan; an announcement will be
made when GamePlan makes its decision
-          Broadcast available to Big Blue Sports Network affiliates on a delayed basis

Middle Tennessee (Sept. 13, 7 p.m. EDT)
-          Televised live within the state of Kentucky on pay-per-view basis (suggested price $24.95 in advance, $29.95 day of game; cable/satellite providers make final decision on pricing)
-          Kentucky residents interested in ordering the game should contact their cable/satellite provider
-          Televised live outside of Kentucky as part of ESPN GamePlan. (Note: GamePlan’s coverage of UK-Middle Tennessee will be blacked out within Kentucky borders)
-          Broadcast available to Big Blue Sports Network affiliates on a delayed basis