Governor's Cup

[Turnerville]

I'm surprised to read that many UK fans here see not only a win for UK but a big win against Louisville. What are you seeing that makes you think this? I know Stoops has recruited well but the difference with Louisville's recruiting is pretty small. What's your reasoning here?

 

[dorkmeister]

Stoops is a better recruiter.
Stoops is a better coach.
Stoops is loved by his players.
The new conditioning program has reshaped the players bodies and increased strength, speed and size.
UK is on the way up and ul is going back to the sewer.

 

[TBCat]

I'm surprised to read that many UK fans here see not only a win for UK but a big win against Louisville. What are you seeing that makes you think this? I know Stoops has recruited well but the difference with Louisville's recruiting is pretty small. What's your reasoning here?

I don't see a big win. I think the game will play out pretty much like it has the past 2 years. Very close with the better team making plays at the end and the other team coming up short. The only difference is that UK looks to have pulled ahead and will be the one that should make plays at the end instead of UL. If I had to pick today I'd go with 38-35 UK.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Louisville lost a ton of production and has serious OL questions and does not have a difinitive QB.

Louisville also will play their hardest schedule in prob 30 years.

 

[CatDaddy4daWin]

Being at home will make the difference this year. UK probably wins last year if we were playing at home. You guys have a better defense than we will but your secondary is suspect and believe that UK will have opportunities in the passing game.

 

[DSmith21]

Troubled, James Quick is UL's leader on offense. That tells me a lot. UL will have a tough D but UK wins in a close game at home.

http://www.courier-journal.com/stor...ille-football-james-quick-receivers/31884143/

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Bobby's last trip to CWS was an L...I expect the same in his return.

 

[7UKNCAA]

Strong's studs are dwindling and the only reason we lost last year was Devantae Parker. He is gone.

 

[Cats78]

You're exaggerating when talking about many UK fans predicting a "big win", but I'll play your little game anyway as to why I think UK wins.

-UK is hungrier and will be out for blood. As will the crowd. The atmosphere will intense.
-UK is at home.
-talent is comparable finally. Actually UK has more talent now, though it's young. Offensively, UK is ahead of Louisville talent-wise. We'll see how it works out when they play.
-UK had UofL beat last season and to be blunt/basic...UK will be better than they were last season and UofL will not.
-UofL's OL has the potential to be horrible, thus rendering any advantage you have on offense. May not matter who your QB, RB and WR are.
-UofL still doesn't have a solid QB
-Devante Parker is gone (without him, UK beats you last year and hell "with" Bonnafon UK beats UofL last year too and he might be your QB again this year).
-Petrino's coaching "prowess" is overrated. UofL's offense was no juggernaut last season (I was told he was a genius and could score tons of points no matter what) and the Clemson game was a coaching disaster.
-kind of silly but...we're due and then there's the karma factor. I believe that some unfortunate things will happen to UofL football due to the way you guys due things and I think you deserve those unfortunate things. One of which is getting beat by your rival that you all seem to think are a joke. Can't wait.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Louisville lost a ton of production and has serious OL questions and does not have a difinitive QB.

Louisville also will play their hardest schedule in prob 30 years.

This is my thought......and the game is at home. Still, Petr-enus is an elite level coach. He's a putz of a human being, but he's an elite level coach. I don't see the game as an easy win b/c of him......however, I do think we have the edge.

 

[Bigblueforever]

Kentucky - 31
Louisville - 24

 

[prospectcat]

I see a UK win but not a big win. I wish we were opening with UL this year, I think we'd have the edge to start the season.

 

[JHB4UK]

UK lost by only 4 on the road last year to a team that had 11 guys drafted by the NFL while we had 2. The game is on our field this year, we return more starters, we have been reeling in higher rated recruiting classes.

Pure logic and understanding of the sport of college football spells out UK wins this year. The real question is why you and your ilk think that losing is out of the question? All the guys who were backups to the players you lost are going to be better? Your awful quarterback situation will be resolved? Gonna play better on the road this year than you did at home last year?

nut up, sack up, spell out YOUR reasoning spanky.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I think if we are honest then this game is a tossup. I think UK fans feel good about it, and that is fine, but a whole lot can happen between now and November 28th. Roster shuffles, injuries, and even team dismissals can play a part in what a team is going to look like. Not to mention the fact that either team could be having a great or a terrible year. Last year UK came into Louisville bleeding and licking their wounds on a losing streak and yet they played extremely tough and never laid down. They could host Louisville this year with their confidence in a much different setting than last year.

I think that UK has comparable talent to Louisville now, but it also has to be fleshed out on the field. We did pretty well last year, but it was still a pretty big disappointment due to the second half. Now we have to step up to another level and to do so we have to do it on the field.

 

[Mojocat]

A scummy as Petrino is, I thought he was a fabulous coach. I remember saying - at a time when Pitino was coaching at UofL and Tubby at UK - that I thought he was the best coach in the state. But something seems different now. He didn't forget how to coach or suddenly get stupid, so I'm sure he's still pretty good. But something has changed, an edge has been lost, something. Was it a cutting edge offensive mind that distinguished him before, and the game has in some ways caught up to that? Did his long history of troubles and personal turmoil fundamentally age or change him? Is it as simple as he's not playing a glorified high school schedule, and UK is no longer probation-riddled easy prey? Don't know, don't really care, but I sense something.......

 

[Turnerville]

....nut up, sack up, spell out YOUR reasoning spanky.

Fair enough. I think Louisville's recruiting has been similar to UK's and the advantage you perceive is small or nonexistent. Also, Louisville has taken similar recruiting rankings and turned it into ranked teams and many NFL draft choices -- UK has not. I have no reason to believe that pattern will change. I believe the U of L coaching staff is better. I think Louisville has the psychological edge as well, going for a fifth straight win and consistently having winning seasons and bowl games.

 

[BlueTick2]

Will not be close at all
UK 55
Transfer U 14

After UL playing a real schedule and beat up doing so, the dirty birds will limp into the last game.
While UK is peaking and looking to play in a major bowl.

 

[FtWorthCat]

If the game was the first game of the year, I believe UofL would be favored by about 4 or so at Commonwealth. I still think UofL is slightly better going into the season, but the gap is closing.

 

[Steelers2012]

For all the mentions of the home field being an advantage, Louisville is 8-4 in Governor's Cup games at CWS. Our record is 5-4 at PJCS. Statistically, UK has a better record in the series at PJCS than CWS.

 

[johnnyrockets]

For all the mentions of the home field being an advantage, Louisville is 8-4 in Governor's Cup games at CWS. Our record is 5-4 at PJCS. Statistically, UK has a better record in the series at PJCS than CWS.

You post this pretty much every time the game being at CWS comes up, but I'm not sure what it proves. The sample size is small enough that I'm not sure 8-4 vs 5-4 means anything real. I suspect is has more to do with the teams on the field in those games. Correlation vs causation, you know?

I think if you asked 100 UofL fans if they'd rather play UK at CWS or PJCS, at least 99 would say PJCS. I don't think the fact that UofL has a better record at CWS would matter one iota.

 

[Rhavicc]

Home field is an obvious advantage, but it's never a reason for the win. I simply think that UK will have the better team. Nothing more, nothing less. I think UK will be more comfortable at home, and conversely, I think Louisville will be uncomfortable in CWS this year, but I just think that Kentucky will be the better football team.

 

[johnnyrockets]

I'm surprised to read that many UK fans here see not only a win for UK but a big win against Louisville. What are you seeing that makes you think this? I know Stoops has recruited well but the difference with Louisville's recruiting is pretty small. What's your reasoning here?

I think you're putting words in our collective mouths when you say "many UK fans see a big win," but the reason for optimism is that last year's game was so close, we're now at home, and we return more contributors than UofL does. Pretty straightforward I think.

Realistically, I think UK played closer to its best than did UofL last year. In other words, I think if those two teams had played 10 times, UofL would win most, and would win by more than 4 more times than not. I don't know if UK has closed a perceived 11 point neutral field gap (spread last year was 14), but we'll see.

(There's also a 20+ page thread on this very topic a few threads down the page if you feel like some light reading...)

 

[Turnerville]

I think you're putting words in our collective mouths when you say "many UK fans see a big win....

I have seen a fair number of posts like BlueTick's above but I don't think it's a majority. "Many" may have been hyperbole, though, as you point out.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Fair enough. I think Louisville's recruiting has been similar to UK's and the advantage you perceive is small or nonexistent. Also, Louisville has taken similar recruiting rankings and turned it into ranked teams and many NFL draft choices -- UK has not. I have no reason to believe that pattern will change. I believe the U of L coaching staff is better. I think Louisville has the psychological edge as well, going for a fifth straight win and consistently having winning seasons and bowl games.

Mark Stoops is in his third season. I would say it is safe to say we will turn a ton of these recruits into NFL players.

Petrino took over from Strong coming off 23-3 two prior seasons. Stoops took over for Joker.

Lets not forget that.

 

[Steelers2012]

You post this pretty much every time the game being at CWS comes up, but I'm not sure what it proves. The sample size is small enough that I'm not sure 8-4 vs 5-4 means anything real. I suspect is has more to do with the teams on the field in those games. Correlation vs causation, you know?

I think if you asked 100 UofL fans if they'd rather play UK at CWS or PJCS, at least 99 would say PJCS. I don't think the fact that UofL has a better record at CWS would matter one iota.

Yeah, I agree. That's the point I'm making when I post the series records for the 2 stadiums. The home field hasn't meant much either way. We only have a one win advantage in PJCS. Although I'm sure every player, coach, and fan prefers to play at home, it hasn't meant any real advantage in this rivalry series.

 

[Petjurino]

Stoops is a better recruiter.
Stoops is a better coach.
Stoops is loved by his players.
The new conditioning program has reshaped the players bodies and increased strength, speed and size.
UK is on the way up and ul is going back to the sewer.

 

[C1180]

Fair enough. I think Louisville's recruiting has been similar to UK's and the advantage you perceive is small or nonexistent. Also, Louisville has taken similar recruiting rankings and turned it into ranked teams and many NFL draft choices -- UK has not. I have no reason to believe that pattern will change. I believe the U of L coaching staff is better. I think Louisville has the psychological edge as well, going for a fifth straight win and consistently having winning seasons and bowl games.

Here we go again the usual Petrino is some kind of football genius and our reserves are better than the departed starters post by a UofL fan. Dude that might fly on your board but it is going to crash straight out on this board. You have a rag tag OL, lost 80% of your last years production receiving and are in the third week of fall camp and do not know who your QB is going to be. You have basically a new secondary on defense. I know you have some potential all American bad boy transfers to plug in there but I am of the show me type that they will be as good as the last years secondary.

I would also like to suggest that you are likely out of your league on this board and should scoot back over to your cheerleading board.

 

[55wildcat]

I think the cats win this year..#1..They dropped a wide open in the gut interception or would have won last year..#2.. I simply think UK has the better team this year based on returning players and player lost and playing at home..#3..some of you guys bring up UL has no definitive QB, not sure why that is brought up a dang third stringer burned our azz last year..But I don't a 10 point UK win is far fetched...

 

[C1180]

You should not be puzzled by the dudes post because he is the same type poster as you and truthfully many on this board doubt that he is a UK fan. Heck you two could be long lost twins or at least brothers by different mothers.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Fair enough. I think Louisville's recruiting has been similar to UK's and the advantage you perceive is small or nonexistent. Also, Louisville has taken similar recruiting rankings and turned it into ranked teams and many NFL draft choices -- UK has not. I have no reason to believe that pattern will change. I believe the U of L coaching staff is better. I think Louisville has the psychological edge as well, going for a fifth straight win and consistently having winning seasons and bowl games.

Well of course Louisville has put more guys in the NFL and has done better in getting ranked. They have had better overall recruiting success. Louisville regularly hangs around the low 40s range in recruiting. UK, since 2003, has rarely hit the 40s. Kentucky has had 4 recruiting classes ranked 49 or below since 2003, and 3 of those 4 were 2013, 14, and 15. Louisville has had 9 recruiting classes at 49 and below. Having 9 of 12 be top 50 classes is much better than 4 of 12 and it leads to more success over a longer period as well as more draft picks. So, Louisville has not really been taking similar classes to UK and turning them into more success. UL has been having better classes more consistently and therefore have had better success. Not to mention that in that entire time Louisville has also played in a much weaker conference than UK.

Why don't you think that pattern will change? That makes no sense. Almost all of UL's recent success came from the 2011 class. Something like 7 of the 10 players drafted from Louisville in 2015 came from that class and 2 of the guys that were drafted in the first round in 2014 were in the 2011 class. That's 9 of the 14 drafted from 1 class. The guy who recruited that class is gone, and I believe that was Louisville's best class ever. They were ranked 29th. UK has a 2013 class ranked 29th, a 2014 class ranked 17th, and a 2015 class ranked 36th. During that time period UL was 52, 40, and 32. So, Louisville is still pretty much on their same recruiting trend while UK has improved theirs exponentially. Stands to reason that the pattern has changed. Might not equal a win this year, but those numbers can possibly be pretty telling.

You might have arguments on the coaching staff seeing as how UK's is pretty green and the psychological effect, but the argument on recruiting and draft choices doesn't hold much water IMO.

 

[55wildcat]

You should not be puzzled by the dudes post because he is the same type poster as you and truthfully many on this board doubt that he is a UK fan. Heck you two could be long lost twins or at least brothers by different mothers.

U talking bout me not being a UK fan?

 

[Turnerville]

Here we go again the usual Petrino is some kind of football genius and our reserves are better than the departed starters post by a UofL fan. Dude that might fly on your board but it is going to crash straight out on this board. You have a rag tag OL, lost 80% of your last years production receiving and are in the third week of fall camp and do not know who your QB is going to be. You have basically a new secondary on defense. I know you have some potential all American bad boy transfers to plug in there but I am of the show me type that they will be as good as the last years secondary.

I would also like to suggest that you are likely out of your league on this board and should scoot back over to your cheerleading board.

Yes, and it's also the same predictions every year about UK being bigger and faster and breaking through with winning seasons. But they don't. The difference is that Louisville has backed up the hype with real results.

As for your last comment, maybe so. I'm certainly not a paradigm example of a poster on a sports message board. Your criticism of me is accurate but your view of the state of the two programs seems less than measured.

 

[Turnerville]

You might have arguments on the coaching staff seeing as how UK's is pretty green and the psychological effect, but the argument on recruiting and draft choices doesn't hold much water IMO.

That's a pretty good argument and I didn't realize the difference in classes prior to Stoops. Thanks.

 

[55wildcat]

Yes, and it's also the same predictions every year about UK being bigger and faster and breaking through with winning seasons. But they don't. The difference is that Louisville has backed up the hype with real results.

As for your last comment, maybe so. I'm certainly not a paradigm example of a poster on a sports message board. Your criticism of me is accurate but your view of the state of the two programs seems less than measured.

I disagree...the difference is schedule..when UK starts conference play it's a top twenty team every game..Tards don't...They play UK's schedule they are middle of the pack at best

 

[JHB4UK]

Fair enough. I think Louisville's recruiting has been similar to UK's and the advantage you perceive is small or nonexistent. Also, Louisville has taken similar recruiting rankings and turned it into ranked teams and many NFL draft choices -- UK has not. I have no reason to believe that pattern will change. I believe the U of L coaching staff is better. I think Louisville has the psychological edge as well, going for a fifth straight win and consistently having winning seasons and bowl games.

Nonsensical lacking in any factual basis, as I suspected.

Last year's games results disprove every single word of your reasoning. How did UK go from being noncompetitive in '12 & '13 to losing in the closing seconds by less than a TD if the recruiting talent levels are equal and any idea UK has even the talent edge UL had is false? If UL's staff is better why couldn't they beat UK as badly as Cholly did a year before? Where was the psychological edge (LOL!!!) when UK was kicking UL's ass to start the game, and counter punched every single time when UL made their comebacks except the last drive?

You will lose to UK, and know it. If you didn't, why are you here? I ain't starting threads on South Carolina's boards or Florida's boards asking them why they are too stupid to realize UK is beating them. Why, because I'm not an insecure Little Brother.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Yes, and it's also the same predictions every year about UK being bigger and faster and breaking through with winning seasons. But they don't. The difference is that Louisville has backed up the hype with real results.

As for your last comment, maybe so. I'm certainly not a paradigm example of a poster on a sports message board. Your criticism of me is accurate but your view of the state of the two programs seems less than measured.

Easy to back up the hype when you play one MAYBE two games a season against teams with a pulse.

 

[Turnerville]

Nonsensical lacking in any factual basis, as I suspected.

Last year's games results disprove every single word of your reasoning. How did UK go from being noncompetitive in '12 & '13 to losing in the closing seconds by less than a TD if the recruiting talent levels are equal and any idea UK has even them is false? If UL's staff is better why couldn't they beat UK as badly as Cholly did a year before? Where was the psychological edge (LOL!!!) when UK was kicking UL's ass to start the game, and counter punched every single time when UL made their comebacks except the last drive?

You will lose to UK, and know it. If you didn't, why are you here? I ain't starting threads on South Carolina's boards or Florida's boards asking them why they are too stupid to realize UK is beating them. Why, because I'm not an insecure Little Brother.

Yes, UK played hard and played well in the game but it was a loss, as was the Florida game. Winning games like those are exactly what one means by "psychological edge."

 

[Turnerville]

Easy to back up the hype when you play one MAYBE two games a season against teams with a pulse.

All I can say is please keep improving so we can add another one.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Yes, UK played hard and played well in the game but it was a loss, as was the Florida game. Winning games like those are exactly what one means by "psychological edge."

Louisville lacked that edge against Virginia last year.

 

[BlueTick2]

Louisville lacked that edge against Virginia last year.

They lacked that edge when they played Georgia ........