Cats suddenly a hot ticket. Saturday’s Kentucky-South Carolina game is sold out.

Mark Stoops hinted at it and perhaps wished it into existence earlier this week.

On his Monday radio show, the Kentucky coach asked nicely: “We need it to capacity this week. Please and thank you.”

On Tuesday in a meeting with the media, Stoops added: “Excited about this opportunity here this week playing at home. Should be a fantastic crowd, I’m sure it will be sold out, great atmosphere, playing a very good South Carolina team.”

Asked and answered apparently as UK announced on Wednesday night that Kroger Field will be full on Saturday night when the No. 17 Cats take on the Gamecocks at 7:30 p.m.

“I’ll be excited to play a night game at home this week,” Stoops said Tuesday. “Should be beautiful weather, great crowd, be a great atmosphere.”

The weather forecast calls for clear skies and a temperature in the low 60s at kickoff.

It is the first sellout for Kentucky since 2017 when 62,945 fans attended the Florida game on Sept. 23. Before that game, the most recent announced sellout was in 2015.

After the upset win over No. 14 Mississippi State last week, Stoops and his players discussed how important the fans were to the victory.

Stoops reiterated that again this week.

“It’s hard to quantify how much that will help, because it will help a great deal,” Stoops said of a packed house. “It will change many things. It’s what’s expected in this league. That’s the standard that we need to have, because it makes a difference. Not only with our football team and how we play, but also in recruiting.”

In its first three home games this season, Kentucky is averaging 52,464 fans at Kroger Field, whose capacity is listed as 61,000. UK is 12-4 in its last 16 home games, the best stretch since 2006-08.

This story was originally published September 26, 2018 at 7:46 PM.