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ARC 360 Podcast

ARC 360 Podcast

The Check In: Kentucky’s Reality Check vs Alabama – Managing Expectations in the Will Stein Era

Sep 18, 2026 · 41 min · 12 segments

Kentucky led Alabama 17-13 at the half… then the bottom fell out. 45-17 final. What does this mean for the rest of the Will Stein era? In this episode of The Check In, A.J. Stewart (ARC 360 Podcast)…

Kentucky led Alabama 17-13 at the half… then the bottom fell out. 45-17 final. What does this mean for the rest of the Will Stein era? In this episode of The Check In, A.J. Stewart (ARC 360 Podcast) and Austin Flannery (BBN Unfiltered) sit down as friends and lifelong Kentucky fans to break down the Wildcats’ loss to No. 12 Alabama, the second-half collapse, the offensive struggles, and — most importantly — how BBN should manage expectations for the rest of the 2026 season. No hot takes for clicks. Just real talk about where Kentucky football actually stands, what needs to improve before Texas A&M, and how we build a winning culture in Lexington. Join the conversation, Big Blue Nation. Drop your thoughts in the comments, share with a fellow Cats fan, and help grow the ARC 360 network. Listen & subscribe everywhere: • YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts • arc360sports.com #BBN #KentuckyFootball #UKWildcats #WillStein #GoCats #KentuckyVsAlabama #SECFootball #TheCheckIn #ARC360 #BBNUnfiltered

Kentucky led Alabama 17-13 at the half… then the bottom fell out. 45-17 final. What does this mean for the rest of the Will Stein era? In this episode of The Check In, A.J. Stewart (ARC 360 Podcast)…

Speakers: AJ StewartHostAustin FlanneryHost

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Kentucky Wildcats football×23 Will Stein×11 Kentucky×20 Southeastern Conference×19 Alabama Crimson Tide football×36

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈783 followers

A New Era for Kentucky Athletics1:56 – 7:34

1:56

And so you talk about that NIL era and kind of how... you felt like the BBNs kind of needed kind of a boost in a lot of different areas, starting with basketball because that's what we're known for.

2:08

Yes.

2:08

And ever since then, in your opinion and I think in a lot of people's opinion, we've been kind of underachieved.

2:14

Underachieved.

2:14

Not

Austin FlanneryHost

2:14

kind of.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:15

Big time.

2:16

I hear you on

Austin FlanneryHost

2:16

that.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:16

Big time.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:17

We have really underachieved.

2:18

As a former player, I tend to be a little bit

Austin FlanneryHost

2:20

You don't want to be overly negative.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:22

I

2:22

don't want to be hard on the kids.

2:24

I get it.

2:24

I don't want to be hard on the kids.

2:26

I remember what it was like in those days.

2:28

That's fair.

2:29

I tell you what, I was not a part of a championship team.

2:32

And we had some hard days.

2:34

But the thing about it is the resilience of BBN.

2:36

I think the inevitable is it's just a matter of time.

2:39

They always say the cream rises to the top.

2:41

This is the cream factory.

Kentucky Wildcats footballSports TeamFootball team
98%23 mentions
Will SteinPersonAmerican football coach
95%11 mentions
KentuckyAdministrative AreaUS state
92%20 mentions
Southeastern ConferenceSports OrganizationAthletic conference
89%19 mentions
Alabama Crimson Tide footballSports TeamFootball team
86%36 mentions
Van HilesPersonAmerican former American football player
83%5 mentions
South CarolinaAdministrative AreaUS state
80%7 mentions
Mitch BarnhartPersonAthletics director of the University of Kentucky
77%2 mentions
College StationCityCity in Texas
73%4 mentions
TennesseeAdministrative AreaUS state
70%4 mentions
Mark StoopsPersonAmerican football coach
67%3 mentions
Youngstown State Penguins footballSports TeamFootball team
64%2 mentions
University of MissouriCollege or UniversityLand-grant university in Columbia, Missouri
61%4 mentions
Heaven HillCompanyDistillery
58%2 mentions
GodEntitySupreme being
55%1 mention
University of KentuckyCollege or UniversityLand-grant university in Lexington, Kentucky
52%4 mentions
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
48%3 mentions
SpotifyCompanyCompany
45%1 mention
LouisvilleCityCity in Kentucky
41%4 mentions
Vanderbilt Commodores footballSports TeamFootball team
41%4 mentions
LexingtonCityCity in Kentucky
36%1 mention
AppleCompanyTechnology company
33%1 mention
Texas A&M Aggies footballSports TeamAmerican football team
30%9 mentions
Evan WilliamsBrand
27%2 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
23%2 mentions
YoungstownCityCity in Ohio
20%3 mentions
TikTokSoftware ApplicationWebsite
17%1 mention
Cam NewtonPersonAmerican American football player
14%1 mention
XEntitySocial networking service
11%2 mentions
Trevor LawrencePersonJacksonville Jaguars quarterback
8%1 mention
FacebookSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
5%1 mention
OregonAdministrative AreaUS state
2%1 mention

Coaching StrategiesSports > Football > College Football > Kentucky Football
NIL ImpactBusiness > Sports Management > Athletic Programs
Society
Fan EngagementMedia > Sports Media > Athletic Commentary
Expectations ManagementMedia > Sports Media > Athletic Commentary > Fan Engagement
Recruitment StrategiesBusiness > Sports Management > Athletic Programs > NIL Impact
Sports MediaMedia
Athletic ProgramsBusiness > Sports Management
Fan CultureSociety > Sports Culture
Community EngagementSociety > Sports Culture > Fan Culture
Sports CultureSociety
Sports ManagementBusiness
Athletic CommentaryMedia > Sports Media
Kentucky BasketballSports > Basketball > College Basketball
Kentucky FootballSports > Football > College Football
Support for TeamsSociety > Sports Culture > Fan Culture > Community Engagement
Team PerformanceSports > Basketball > College Basketball > Kentucky Basketball
Sports
BasketballSports
Business
FootballSports
Media
College FootballSports > Football
College BasketballSports > Basketball

A New Era for Kentucky Athletics1:56 – 7:34

1:56

And so you talk about that NIL era and kind of how... you felt like the BBNs kind of needed kind of a boost in a lot of different areas, starting with basketball because that's what we're known for.

2:08

Yes.

2:08

And ever since then, in your opinion and I think in a lot of people's opinion, we've been kind of underachieved.

2:14

Underachieved.

2:14

Not

Austin FlanneryHost

2:14

kind of.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:15

Big time.

2:16

I hear you on

Austin FlanneryHost

2:16

that.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:16

Big time.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:17

We have really underachieved.

2:18

As a former player, I tend to be a little bit

Austin FlanneryHost

2:20

You don't want to be overly negative.

Austin FlanneryHost

2:22

I

2:22

don't want to be hard on the kids.

2:24

I get it.

2:24

I don't want to be hard on the kids.

2:26

I remember what it was like in those days.

2:28

That's fair.

2:29

I tell you what, I was not a part of a championship team.

2:32

And we had some hard days.

2:34

But the thing about it is the resilience of BBN.

2:36

I think the inevitable is it's just a matter of time.

2:39

They always say the cream rises to the top.

2:41

This is the cream factory.

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