2026 class four-star prospect Kaden Gebhardt confirms visit to Kentucky's Week 2 showdown

Four-star safety Kaden Gebhardt, from Olentangy High School in Ohio, was in Morgantown, West Virginia, on August 31 to witness the Mountaineers' home opener against Penn State. The Nittany Lions came away with a 34-13 victory, but the game was only one of Gebhardt's visits.

Next on his agenda is a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, to watch the Kentucky Wildcats take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kroger Field this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Gebhardt expressed his excitement for the game-day visit on X, tagging Kentucky’s recruiting coordinator, Vince Marrow:

"Can’t wait to be at the University of Kentucky this weekend for a game day visit! @Kstaff07 @CoachBart11 @AllenTrieu @MohrRecruiting @SWiltfong_ @vincemarrow @CoachBuffano @OHSBravesFB."

The Wildcats head into the matchup with confidence after defeating Southern Miss 31-0 in Week 1 on Saturday. South Carolina narrowly escaped Old Dominion with a 23-19 victory on the same day.

Historically, the Wildcats have struggled against the Gamecocks, losing 12 of the last 13 matchups from 2000-09, but they've fared better in recent years. Under head coach Mark Stoops, the program holds a 7-4 record against the Gamecocks, winning two of the last three matchups.

With Kentucky listed as a 10-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Wildcats are expected to have the upper hand. But with the season just beginning, anything is possible.

Kaden Gebhardt's recruitment update

Kaden Gebhardt's team, the Olentangy Braves,' lost last Friday 28-0. However, the school came away with a 38-14 win against Medina on Aug. 30, partly due to the excellence of Gebhardt in the secondary. Over those two games, he recorded 15 total tackles and three kickoff returns.

Kaden Gebhardt plans to visit Penn State, Oklahoma, Purdue, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio State during the 2024 season. He has not yet announced any favorite programs, and no crystal ball predictions have been made about where he may land.

However, according to On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Penn State is leading the race for Gebhardt's commitment with a 28.0% chance.

Gebhardt visited the school for the first time in June to participate in one of its two summer Elite Showcase prospect camps, where his performance under defensive coordinator Tom Allen earned him an offer. He returned to State College in July for the annual Lasch Bash recruiting event.

Other schools still in the race for Kaden Gebhardt include Miami (Ohio) at 16.6%, Cincinnati at 14.2% and West Virginia at 11.9%.