I see a lot of people picking SC to beat us...

[teetim]

I know we have a nice streak against them and we don't live in a vacuum... It's a road game, they have a promising young QB and they get Moore back. I understand all of those things. But I still feel like we have more talent and depth. Are the picks strictly based on the game being on the road? What else am I missing? I don't see those two players alone making that much difference. Then again, I'm not a smart man.

 

[EliteBlue]

In my opinion, its a combo of the 3 game win streak (feeling like they are due) and it being on the road against a solid team.

I still think we stretch the streak to 4.

 

[Levibooty]

I think there is a lot of respect for Muschamp out there also. I think they believe he now has the talent to begin building his program. He gets a lot of compliments from announcers.

 

[The-Hack]

And we beat 'em by one score, at home, and they drove passed the 50 in the waning moments.

I hope and expect us to beat SC, but I expect it will be a 4th quarter win.

There will be many prognosticators picking Vandy and Miss State over us in their home venues.

And the simple truth is that we'd better bring our "A" game to those venues, and against Mizzou at home, to repeat those victories, whether at home or on the road. There are no real "gimmies" in the SEC. And rational Georgia fans are saying the same about us, down there, this season.

 

[bratboy]

Also SC brought in a top 15 recruiting class. I'm not sure how many of those guys can make an impact, but a huge boost of talent on the roster with the 16 class.

 

[jauk11]

Also SC brought in a top 15 recruiting class. I'm not sure how many of those guys can make an impact, but a huge boost of talent on the roster with the 16 class.

I expect UK to improve a huge amount this year, but I expect USC AND Georgia to do the same, maybe even more so on paper, AND we play both of them on the road. Both should be great games, hope we can pull them off.

 

[gamalielkid]

I know we have a nice streak against them and we don't live in a vacuum... It's a road game, they have a promising young QB and they get Moore back. I understand all of those things. But I still feel like we have more talent and depth. Are the picks strictly based on the game being on the road? What else am I missing? I don't see those two players alone making that much difference. Then again, I'm not a smart man.

The SC game will be a pivotal game for them. They know it and are gearing for it with lots of reasons for them to get excited. 3 losses in a row, they have a great young QB, Muschamp is regarded as a great defensive coach, SC has recruited at a higher level and has more local prospects than UK. Plus their fans are very arrogant and think they are a football powerhouse now - but that is really wishful thinking on their part IMO.

I also think we will win - because I think we are not being given enough credit for the experience and talent we have coming back! Stoops has improved by leaps and bounds as a head coach IMO also. He has coached like a rookie head coach and now he has learned a lot on the job. Everyone needs to remember we were very close to possibly looking for another head coach ourselves last year. Winning cures all ills - even our fans didn't realize how Barker was playing hurt - even in the USM game in the second half - I still think Drew, if he is healed and comfortable - is our best QB. I base this on he was and Elite Eleven QB too and did fairly well!

Go Big Blue!

 

[SanAntonioCat]

I know we have a nice streak against them and we don't live in a vacuum... It's a road game, they have a promising young QB and they get Moore back. I understand all of those things. But I still feel like we have more talent and depth. Are the picks strictly based on the game being on the road? What else am I missing? I don't see those two players alone making that much difference. Then again, I'm not a smart man.

The SC game will be a pivotal game for them. They know it and are gearing for it with lots of reasons for them to get excited. 3 losses in a row, they have a great young QB, Muschamp is regarded as a great defensive coach, SC has recruited at a higher level and has more local prospects than UK. Plus their fans are very arrogant and think they are a football powerhouse now - but that is really wishful thinking on their part IMO.

I also think we will win - because I think we are not being given enough credit for the experience and talent we have coming back! Stoops has improved by leaps and bounds as a head coach IMO also. He has coached like a rookie head coach and now he has learned a lot on the job. Everyone needs to remember we were very close to possibly looking for another head coach ourselves last year. Winning cures all ills - even our fans didn't realize how Barker was playing hurt - even in the USM game in the second half - I still think Drew, if he is healed and comfortable - is our best QB. I base this on he was and Elite Eleven QB too and did fairly well!

Go Big Blue!

CMS is every bit the equal as a defensive coordinator as Will Muschamp. Our QB is quite capable as is theirs. The home field advantage is a strength for the Chickens. The will to win is the difference maker for either team.

 

[WildCard]

I don't know who "a lot of people" are but Phil Steele makes SC a 4 point fav on a field where he gives them a 4.5 point home field advantage. That sounds pretty even to me.

Last year, SC opened up 2-4 with a new staff before winning 4 of last 6 (including loss at #1 Clemson) and sneaking into a minor bowl (loss). They return 11 on offense and 6 on defense. Throw in highly regarded Skai Moore's return to the defense and that makes the "equivalent" of 17 back. Last year the Cats played SC before then FR Bentley took over at QB and they averaged 10 more PPG over the second half of the season with him behind center.

So, 16/17 starters back, expected 1st to 2nd year "improvements" (especially at QB) and home field advantage, yeah, I can see SC as a TD or less favorite in this one. I don't know if it means anything but SC's first 2 opponents [NC State (neutral) and @ MO] look to be substantially stronger than UK's first 2 (@USM and EKU). Come game time we will likely have a "better read" on SC rather than UK (EDIT). JMO.

Peace

 

[jauk11]

I think UK will be greatly improved next year from when we played USC last year-------but they could be improved even more. Their QB improvement from when they played us and getting their best defensive player back after missing a year due to injury will be big, plus they had a much better recruiting class than us-------on paper.

I think on a neutral field UK is a slight favorite, on their field they are a slight favorite-------but I still expect UK to win the game. I think the DL is possibly UK's only weak link, and I think we have a chance to improve a lot there also.

 

[Kattopper]

If we are hoping for 8 or 9 wins. Got to have a W in this one.

Mizz
MS ST
Vandy
USC

Win these and we are set up for something special.

 

[ZZZZCat]

If we are hoping for 8 or 9 wins. Got to have a W in this one.

Mizz
MS ST
Vandy
USC

Win these and we are set up for something special.

Agree 100%. On the flip side, if we lose two of those there will be a lot of disappointed KY fans.

 

[SanAntonioCat]

If we are hoping for 8 or 9 wins. Got to have a W in this one.

Mizz
MS ST
Vandy
USC

Win these and we are set up for something special.

Agree 100%. On the flip side, if we lose two of those there will be a lot of disappointed KY fans.

Believe.

 

[TBCat]

CMS is every bit the equal as a defensive coordinator as Will Muschamp. Our QB is quite capable as is theirs. The home field advantage is a strength for the Chickens. The will to win is the difference maker for either team.

I would consider Stoops a much better DC than Muschamp. I don't think this one is even close. On the other hand Johnson is not even in the same ballpark as Bentley at QB. If USC wins this will be the match up that kills us. We most likely have an advantage at every other position. I know they have a really good TE but I believe we can match them there.

It really shouldn't shock anyone that another SEC team is being picked to win against us when we are on the road. We beat enough teams last year but we didn't blow any of them out. The only team that would shock me if we lost to is Missouri. The rest we are no better than a 2 or 3 point favorite at best. With Vandy and USC being on the road it is absolutely legit to call us the under dog in those games. Although I would predict us to win both of them.

 

[southindycat]

I think Bentley won't look so threatening spending the game with Josh Allen standing over his prostrate carcass.

 

[The-Hack]

On the flip side, if we lose two of those there will be a lot of disappointed KY fans.

Maybe, but maybe not.

We could easily lose the SC and Miss State games on the road, and "make both of them up" with home wins against Florida and Tennessee.

Still, to pull off an 8 or 9 win season, you'd expect we had to win at least 3 outta' the four of Miss State, Vandy, Mizzou (at home) and South Carolina.

I learned my lesson with Southern Miss, last year.

I ain't jumping out of the canoe, or a 6th floor window if we drop one or two of the toss ups, or even if we get upset again by Southern Miss.

We have enough talent that we can bounce back and bite a favored team or two on the arse, to at least continue the process that Stoops and company have started and continue to build.

 

[The-Hack]

with Josh Allen standing over his prostrate carcass.

I think that used to be illegal in most Southern States.

 

[BlueTick2]

Regardless of who we play this season UK is going to score a lot of points.
I think the offense will have the advantage of almost every opponent.

UK will be hard to out score.

 

[TNTUK]

I know we have a nice streak against them and we don't live in a vacuum... It's a road game, they have a promising young QB and they get Moore back. I understand all of those things. But I still feel like we have more talent and depth. Are the picks strictly based on the game being on the road? What else am I missing? I don't see those two players alone making that much difference. Then again, I'm not a smart man.

Evidently only teams not UK can make such strides in the offseason so as to be substantially better than UK, despite UK beating them a year ago.

Never mind returning 17/22 starters, and 38/44 on the two-deep. UK simply doesn't improve, according to the experts.

USC may beat us this fall, but we beat them on the road 2 years ago, and during Stoops' first year when we played at USC, we gave them everything they wanted (we were 2-10 that year).
Imo, i think UK wins this year.

 

[jauk11]

I think that used to be illegal in most Southern States.

I think we might get away with that in Kentucky------but not in South Carolina.

I don't think we would have a few years ago, but then the state legislature is getting on the bandwagon a little bit now, no mandate that we can only recruit in state (football) and they did OK the stadium improvements-------although they did gouge the hell out of the athletic department before they approved it, wonder who did the negotiating for our side?

 

[Deeeefense]

I think some might be looking at last years contest and the close score 17-10 but that was only Stephen Johnson's second game, and he was on a very short leash. He only completed 11 passes for 135 yards. As the season went on he improved quite a bit and we expanded the passing game to some degree (though still being ground oriented).

Granted USCe improved after the put Brantly in as QB but their only real quality win was over a injury ridden UT team. Their other wins came against the likes of Vandy, ECU, UMass, Mizzou and Western Carolina.

 

[football follies]

It is amazing that in every thread team X will be much improved but yet UK won't be...

 

[Jon(-24)]

Gamblers fallacy. Simple as that.

 

[Tcat_2]

It's ridiculous, Josh Allen, Kash, Edwards, D/Line, Landon Young, Rigg, Snell, Rose, Ross and juice are all noticeably thicker and leaner. When I say D-line I'm talking about Pringle has better body comp, Elam is working hard I haven't seen him but all the others plus many more have made big gains. Jamin Davis and Clevan look like they're 2nd/3rd year guys compared to when they arrived.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Wildcard is right. Just because some people pick a team to win it doesn't mean that they think that the teams are unevenly matched. Most of the predictions I've seen basically have the game as a toss-up.....with most predictions going to the home team. (Which most betting sites will tell you that home field advantage is worth 3......maybe 4 points)