Kentucky sophomore wide receiver/return specialist Barion Brown and junior linebacker Trevin Wallace each earned Southeastern Conference weekly honors for their performances in UK’s season-opening 44-14 victory over Ball State at Kroger Field. 

Brown was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week and Wallace the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after impressive work in the opener. Brown now has earned four weekly honors in just 14 weeks of his career and appears poised to rewrite the history books for kickoff returns if he remains on his current trajectory. 

Brown, a Nashville native, returned a kick 99 yards for a score in the second half, and in the process made it the first time in school history the Wildcats have returned a kickoff for a touchdown in back-to-back season openers. It was the longest kick return in the conference during week one and his 117 total return yards made him the only player in the SEC to reach 100 kick return yards. Brown, who is listed on the Hornung Award Watch List for the nation’s most versatile player, also added three receptions for 39 yards and totaled 156 all-purpose yards. 

Wallace, from Jesup, Georgia, tallied a team-high 12 tackles versus the Cardinals, tying his career high. He made the initial hit/tackle on a play that became a BSU fumble that UK returned 69 yards for a touchdown. Seven of his 12 tackles went for loss, zero yards or one yard. He added a pair of tackles for loss and half a sack, as he raced sideline to sideline for the Cats. He needs just two more tackles to reach 100 total tackles for his career. He is currently on the watch list for the Butkus Award given to the nation’s top linebacker.  

This is Wallace’s second SEC honor in his career. He was named SEC Freshman of the Week in 2021 after charting a career-high 12 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, in his first collegiate start at Mississippi State 

UK will play host to Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 9. Saturday is Youth Sports and Activities Day, where youth teams from across the area will be eligible for specially-priced tickets starting at $15. For more information, contact Caleb Young at caleb.young@uky.edu or (859) 218-4978. 

The game will be Heroes Day as well. GOVX offers provide service members (military, law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and government employees) with discounts to all of the Wildcats’ home games. Instantly register to claim your discounted ticket today!: https://auth.govx.com/tickets/verify/f67f418f-5e94-e911-80e9-14187735bc96/168f6089-312b-ee11-8a1e-000d3ac50276?display=popup  

The game also will be Kentucky Cheer Youth Day (pregame) and Kentucky Dance Day (halftime) with cheerleaders and dance teams from across the area invited to attend. 

Brown was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week and Wallace the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after impressive work in the opener. Brown now has earned four weekly honors in just 14 weeks of his career and appears poised to rewrite the history books for kickoff returns if he remains on his current trajectory.

Brown, a Nashville native, returned a kick 99 yards for a score in the second half, and in the process made it the first time in school history the Wildcats have returned a kickoff for a touchdown in back-to-back season openers. It was the longest kick return in the conference during week one and his 117 total return yards made him the only player in the SEC to reach 100 kick return yards. Brown also added three receptions for 39 yards.

Wallace, from Jesup, Georgia, tallied a team-high 12 tackles versus the Cardinals, tying his career high. He added a pair of tackles for loss and half a sack, as he raced sideline to sideline for the Cats. He needs just two more tackles to reach 100 total tackles for his career.

UK will face Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 9.