ADVERTISEMENT

College Football News Ranks UK # 40 preseason

Maybe preseason but by the end of the year I fully expect us to be in the top 30 teams in the country. Having 8 home games and a new atmosphere at Commonwealth could do wonders for this young team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaBossIsBack and cat888
CatDaddy4daWin said:
Maybe preseason but by the end of the year I fully expect us to be in the top 30 teams in the country. Having 8 home games and a new atmosphere at Commonwealth could do wonders for this young team.
Click to expand...
I think we win 8 regular season games this year so I too expect us in the top 30. Depending on the placement of a loss and then a good win we could end up in the top 25 but that is a long shot. Cant wait for kickoff!!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: cat888
Wait, I thought there was a QB controversy/battle. This article seems to have penned in Towles' name? That can't be right, can it? :D
 
dorkmeister said:
I think we win 8 regular season games this year so I too expect us in the top 30. Depending on the placement of a loss and then a good win we could end up in the top 25 but that is a long shot. Cant wait for kickoff!!!!!
Click to expand...

8 wins? No way.

I say 6 and a bowl.
 
I won't say that 8 wins is impossible......more like improbable, but possible.

6 regular season wins and a bowl game is a realistic prediction. 7-5 is a very real possibility as well.......but then again, so is 5-7.
 
Just look at some of the teams we are ranked ahead of. There are some big-time programs. Only year three of Stoops, too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cat888
Crankdatmustard said:
40. Kentucky
Biggest Positive: The offensive line gets four starters back to help make QB Patrick Towles shine. Despite a few key losses, there’s more than enough talent and depth returning on defense to expect a little bit of an improvement.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1523824.html
Click to expand...
Sounds a bit high to me; at least until there is more on field evidence to support it. Last season, UK was typically ranked in the high 60s or 70s (#73 by Phil Steele) by those publications crazy enough to attempt to rank all 128 teams. Based on Sagarin's 2014 final rankings it will take a 7 win season to crack the top 40. Will the Cats do it?

Regarding the above O-line assessment I am one of those guys that believes experience does not automatically make you better. While the O-line does return 4 starters from last season, 2014 was also a year that saw the Cats ranked 79th in YPR, 107th in TFL/game allowed and EDIT: 111th (not 11th) in sacks/game allowed. I know there are other factors to consider but those are not very impressive metrics.

Peace
 
Last edited:
fair preseason ranking. I'd say 8 wins are as likely as only 4. Most likely outcome is 6-6 or 7-5.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CatsFanGG24
WildCard said:
Sounds a bit high to me; at least until there is more on field evidence to support it. Last season, UK was typically ranked in the high 60s or 70s (#73 by Phil Steele) by those publications crazy enough to attempt to rank all 128 teams. Based on Sagarin's 2014 final rankings it will take a 7 win season to crack the top 40. Will the Cats do it?

Regarding the above O-line assessment I am one of those guys that believes experience does not automatically make you better. While the O-line does return 4 starters from last season, 2014 was also a year that saw the Cats ranked 79th in YPR, 107th in TFL/game allowed and 11th in sacks/game allowed. I know there are other factors to consider but those are not very impressive metrics.

Peace
Click to expand...

I think they can absolutely win 7 games. For what it's worth, one of those will be against Louisville, so maybe you won't think it sounded a bit high at that time, but whatever. I have UofL as a win for UK. UK will be flat out starving to win that game (at home) and I think it's clear UK will be better and UofL will be worse. Hell, UK should have won last year on the road and you had 10 draft picks. UofL didn't beat a ranked team last year and you may even have to go to Strong's second to last season to find a win against a ranked team. Florida in the bowl game?

Anyway, really early and hard to tell but here's how I see it...

Wins: ULL(h), Missouri(h), EKU(h), UL(h), Vandy, Charlotte (h)
Losses: Aub(h), UGA
Toss up: USC, UF(h), Miss St, UT(h)

I've got 6 and you just have to get 1 more from toss ups if not a huge upset. I'm not sure that this is that crazy. Hell, should have/could have had 7 wins last year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cat888
8 regular season wins would be tough. We haven't done that in over 30 years. Even if we go 6-6, this team just needs to make that next step to a bowl game and get some momentum.
 
I think the fact that our experts on here seem to think being ranked 40th is too high for this program says so much about the losing mentality that we've developed over the years.

Usually it's the people from outside your fanbase that have to tell you to lower your expectations, but around here we have our own experts within the fanbase (that have experienced nothing but losing) to do that for us.

It's like the battered wife syndrome. Someone could tell you how good you are and that you deserve better, but you're so used to being the doormat that you never view yourself as "good enough" and you think that being ranked 40th of all things (which in the SEC puts you at dead last or second from last) is "too high".

We were two plays away from having 7 wins last year. I'm not sure why our experts think it's so outlandish that we're being ranked 40th (which isn't exactly great when 9 of the 14 teams in your league are in the pre-season top-25).

It sounds about right for what should be a much-improved 5-7 (should've been 6-6) SEC team (returning 95% of its key components) that might have been the most improved team in the entire nation last year to be ranked 40th. I mean if this team improved as much between years two and three as it did between one and two, 40 would seem to be at the low end of the spectrum. I'm not sure why it seems to be such a foregone conclusion that we won't see a similar amount of improvement this offseason (which was about as dramatic or more dramatic than I've ever seen a UK team have).

If anything, I'd make the argument that if this were any other SEC team (besides Vandy) returning as much talent and experience (that didn't have a tradition of losing) they'd be ranked high-20's, low-30's.

I know we've been brainwashed by losing into thinking that there is no way we could be a (gasp) top-40 team, but being ranked in the 30's isn't saying you're a great team; it's saying you're going to be a pretty solid 6 or 7-win SEC team, and I think next year's team is clearly that.

College football analysts have come to understand that when a team looks "bad" in the SEC, it's a little different from looking "bad" in another conference.

Winning 7 or 8 games in the SEC means that you are clearly one of the top-25 teams in the nation (if not higher). An SEC team winning 7 games is like an ACC or Big 12 team winning 9 games.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: KYDave32 and Cats78
8 sounds great. 6 + a possible bowl win still sounds good, and more realistic. I do think we beat UF and UL this year.
 
WildCard said:
Sounds a bit high to me; at least until there is more on field evidence to support it. Last season, UK was typically ranked in the high 60s or 70s (#73 by Phil Steele) by those publications crazy enough to attempt to rank all 128 teams. Based on Sagarin's 2014 final rankings it will take a 7 win season to crack the top 40. Will the Cats do it?

Regarding the above O-line assessment I am one of those guys that believes experience does not automatically make you better. While the O-line does return 4 starters from last season, 2014 was also a year that saw the Cats ranked 79th in YPR, 107th in TFL/game allowed and 11th in sacks/game allowed. I know there are other factors to consider but those are not very impressive metrics.

Peace
Click to expand...

#73 is absolutely ridiculous. It was as well last year. UK was still rebuilding but there's no way you can convince me that they would have struggled against teams like Virginia and Wake Forrest. UK might rank that low based purely off wins and losses. There are a lot of teams that are way overrated because they win games in bad conferences. No way however would they really be ranked in the 70's. UK might have looked bad at times but they looked bad against teams with an NFL roster.

I do agree about the O line though. I'll be impressed when they prove they can block someone. I thought last year's O line was one of if not the worst that I've seen at UK. O Line and Corner are still my two biggest concerns. No way will we be SEC level at either position but if we can at least be respectable then 7 wins will be easy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CATFANFOLIFE87
Some of you i have a hard time calling "fans". Negative 24/7. 8 wins not possible? Hilarious! We were a bad call away from 6 wins last year. Yet 6 wins is a max for this year?? We get better at EVERY position beside DE. Not to mention an extremely favorable schedule. Every game i see is winnable. Auburn and UGA are the only stretches i see. Which MUCH crazier upsets have happened. Get out of here with that 6 win max bull. Not saying it cant happen but only a negative "fan" would say such.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kyisinmyblood
The thing that gets me are what some folks in the media are saying about the schedule. Honestly, this schedule is not that daunting. I see three games (Auburn, UGA, and UT) which will be very tough games for KY. There are a few away games that will be tough but not impossible for the Cats (SC, Miss St). I think this is the year KY finally gets FL. Missouri is sort of a wildcard because they lost some good players but just seem to reload lately. I think UofL's run on KY is over. The rest of the games should be wins although the Ragin' Cajuns will be a tough first game. Honestly, I really think KY has a shot at 8 games if they can get some breaks that seem to always go against them. My guess is they win 6 games but may find a way to get 7. If Pat really improves his pocket presence and the Oline is much improved I think this offense is going to be fun to watch and keep KY in a lot of games.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctroberts1024
I honestly think we have the talent to be considered a top 30 team. The problem is almost all the SEC has top 25 talent. So UK going 6-6/7-5 doesn't really stick out as a top 40 team.

OTOH, UL is terribly overrated. They are a 50-55 team at best.
 
record does not define how good you are. if you are honestly picking how good teams are then you should not look at record alone.... if a team plays 6 top 30ish teams and gets 5 losses... they could still very well be one of the best 30 teams in the country. but if a top 30ish team plays no teams in the top 50 they could very well be ranked top 5 with no losses. it is what it is and stoops knows the deal. he doesn't get to play 1 or 2 tough games a year and pad his record with 8 wins against directional schools every year. we'd probably be upper half of every league except maybe big12 and maybe pac10.
 
Deeeefense said:
yet for some reason half our fans think 6 wins is a stretch. Go figureo_O
Click to expand...

I don't get down on folks who say that 6 is a stretch because whenever you acquire a roster that looked like ours, quality depth is a major player along with talented upperclassmen in the starting roles. And a lot of fans still don't see that yet but its coming, Stoops is going to make it happen.
 
Poetax said:
I don't get down on folks who say that 6 is a stretch because whenever you acquire a roster that looked like ours, quality depth is a major player along with talented upperclassmen in the starting roles. And a lot of fans still don't see that yet but its coming, Stoops is going to make it happen.
Click to expand...

We'll have a lot more depth this year than last year, as well as more experience. WE only lost 4 players that contributed much from last season. Along with Tennessee we figure to be one of the most improved teams in the conference this year IMO>
 
WildCard said:
Sounds a bit high to me; at least until there is more on field evidence to support it. Last season, UK was typically ranked in the high 60s or 70s (#73 by Phil Steele) by those publications crazy enough to attempt to rank all 128 teams. Based on Sagarin's 2014 final rankings it will take a 7 win season to crack the top 40. Will the Cats do it?

Regarding the above O-line assessment I am one of those guys that believes experience does not automatically make you better. While the O-line does return 4 starters from last season, 2014 was also a year that saw the Cats ranked 79th in YPR, 107th in TFL/game allowed and EDIT: 111th (not 11th) in sacks/game allowed. I know there are other factors to consider but those are not very impressive metrics.

Peace
Click to expand...

So you would agree that UL is much too high as well? Lose 10 draft picks from a team who only beat lowly #73 UK by 4 at home, then got stomped by 20+ against UGA in a bowl game?

Sounds like you would put UL in the 60s as well, correct?
 
I would put UT in the win column. Sure they beat us 50-16 last year and they also had two top five recruiting classes. But they do not have coach Mark Stoops on there sideline. His iron will to win trumps big gap in talent.
 
Crankdatmustard said:
40. Kentucky
Biggest Positive: The offensive line gets four starters back to help make QB Patrick Towles shine. Despite a few key losses, there’s more than enough talent and depth returning on defense to expect a little bit of an improvement.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1523824.html
Click to expand...
Looks like they have put us in some pretty good company there, 1 spot behind Virginia Tech but ranked ahead of Penn State, Miami, and Iowa. I think we can put together a little better season than this with a good break or 2.
 
TT Cat said:
I would put UT in the win column. Sure they beat us 50-16 last year and they also had two top five recruiting classes. But they do not have coach Mark Stoops on there sideline. His iron will to win trumps big gap in talent.
Click to expand...

Would hope you get banned...not even a funny troll.
 
I agree with 6-6 or 7-5. 8-4 is not out of the question, but likely a stretch. All in all, Stoops is building a legitimate SEC and nationally competitive program......
 
Crankdatmustard said:
40. Kentucky
Biggest Positive: The offensive line gets four starters back to help make QB Patrick Towles shine. Despite a few key losses, there’s more than enough talent and depth returning on defense to expect a little bit of an improvement.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1523824.html
Click to expand...
I still don't see how that UL is ahead of us.... This is our year, talent and experience back. UL lost everything but the kitchen sink..... How many first rounders? Plus, they beat us by 4 points in a game that could have went either way, at their house.... I think this is one year that UL's last few cup cake years is showing up....
 
I can't see why UL isn't ranked ahead of us. They've recruited and developed well enough to have lots of NFL draft picks. They are coached by an extremely good coach......(who happens to be a schmaltz of a human being). They went 9-4 last yr and they play in an easier conference.

We won 5 games last yr. We have a 2nd yr HC who has yet to register a winning season. And we lost to UL the last 4 yrs in a row.

So, from a scout.com point of view, why in the heck would you put UK ahead of UL?



Now, that being said, we are on our way up and it's only a matter of time before the recruited talent we have starts to shine. We could end up being ahead of UL in the rankings next yr......and could take a vulnerable UL at home. But we haven't earned the preseason ranking higher than them yet.
 
BlueRaider22 said:
I can't see why UL isn't ranked ahead of us. They've recruited and developed well enough to have lots of NFL draft picks. They are coached by an extremely good coach......(who happens to be a schmaltz of a human being). They went 9-4 last yr and they play in an easier conference.

We won 5 games last yr. We have a 2nd yr HC who has yet to register a winning season. And we lost to UL the last 4 yrs in a row.

So, from a scout.com point of view, why in the heck would you put UK ahead of UL?



Now, that being said, we are on our way up and it's only a matter of time before the recruited talent we have starts to shine. We could end up being ahead of UL in the rankings next yr......and could take a vulnerable UL at home. But we haven't earned the preseason ranking higher than them yet.
Click to expand...
Then again, you throw the "US" word out kind of casually....
 
La-Laf. W
USC. L. (Winnable, but I think Spurrier will have our game circled on the schedule as a must win)
UF. W. Yeah we haven't beat them in a long time, but this year we really should, and talk about having a game circled. I think we play better this game than any UK team has played in a very long time
Missouri. W. Their 2 DE's killed us last year. They are gone. We are better. Game is in Lexington.
EKU. W
Auburn. L. I think we will battle them, but Auburn is a legit top 5 team in the nation. It is at home though.
MSU. Toss up with slight edge to them based on game location. L (but winnable)
UT. I hate it, but UT just might be the best team in the East. It is at home, which helps, but right now, I'm not optimistic. L
UGA. L. I would give us a real shot if it was a home game
Vandy. W.
UL.W. I think we are better than them, and it's time to beat them


Bowl game. Win. Ain't many non sec teams that scare me, and those that do will be in bigger bowls.

7-6. Any bowl win makes this a successful season
 
fredmanthecatfan said:
La-Laf. W
USC. L. (Winnable, but I think Spurrier will have our game circled on the schedule as a must win)
UF. W. Yeah we haven't beat them in a long time, but this year we really should, and talk about having a game circled. I think we play better this game than any UK team has played in a very long time
Missouri. W. Their 2 DE's killed us last year. They are gone. We are better. Game is in Lexington.
EKU. W
Auburn. L. I think we will battle them, but Auburn is a legit top 5 team in the nation. It is at home though.
MSU. Toss up with slight edge to them based on game location. L (but winnable)
UT. I hate it, but UT just might be the best team in the East. It is at home, which helps, but right now, I'm not optimistic. L
UGA. L. I would give us a real shot if it was a home game
Vandy. W.
UL.W. I think we are better than them, and it's time to beat them


Bowl game. Win. Ain't many non sec teams that scare me, and those that do will be in bigger bowls.

7-6. Any bowl win makes this a successful season
Click to expand...

You forgot Charlotte in your schedule so saying that's a W you're actually predicting 7-5, 8-5 with the bowl game win.
 
The way I see it,


Wins: ULL(h), EKU(h), UL(h), Vandy, Charlotte (h), UF(h)
Losses: Aub(h), UGA, Missouri(h), UT(h)
Toss up/Win: USC, Miss St,
 
Gary4UK said:
Then again, you throw the "US" word out kind of casually....
Click to expand...


Then by your logic you would want scout.com to rank us #1 even though we probably don't deserve it? We haven't proven that we should be ranked higher than UL for next yr's preseason rankings.

Now, if both UK and UL go 7-5 this next yr......then look at the preseason rankings for 2016. We will likely have earned a higher ranking by then.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jeff Drummond

Football ***** UK Football Spring Practice Notebook - April 6 *****

Replies
87
Views
5K
The House of Blue
bratboy
B
Y

Grading Kentucky's Portal Transfers

Replies
29
Views
5K
Wildcat Lair - Football Forum
23jumpboy
23jumpboy
Jeff Drummond

Football ***** UK Football Spring Practice Notebook - March 30 *****

Replies
38
Views
3K
The House of Blue
teetim
teetim
Jeff Drummond

Football UK Football Season Wrapup Notes

Replies
7
Views
808
The House of Blue
JasonRDunn
J
R

Status of UK's 2023 football team

Replies
39
Views
3K
Wildcat Lair - Football Forum
SosaUK1987
SosaUK1987
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back