Is 9-3 Great/MEH/Disappointing?

[maysvilleky]

I was thinking 8-4 or 9-3 this year due to a lot of unknowns. Oline…WRs…DBs…New Coaches…etc.

Then CRod gets suspended.

So reflecting, I wasn’t expecting an undefeated season. IMO if UK can beat UT and goes 9-3 that would be a great season! Win in a bowl would cap it off.

What do others think?

 

[BIG BLUE GURU]

I expected 8-4 or 9-3. If we can find a way to beat either of Miss. St or UT we will have exceeded my expectations for this year. We simply lost too much from last years team.

 

[SaltyCat22]

Would be very good. To lose to that Ole Miss team is disappointing though, wouldn’t need to beat UT or MSU to go 9-3. Ole Miss is honestly butt.

 

[Gromcat]

It’s fine. I’m more interested to see if our players can be poached or how the NIL is gonna work. If those things go south we can’t maintain anything anyway past a few more seasons.

Still haven’t had anyone explain this in detail or if it should work out. If Alabama or someone comes after our receiver core and it’s allowed college sports for teams like us……I mean what’s the point?

I’m naturally nervous but these seem to be really valid concerns.

 

[Smashcat]

If Alabama or someone comes after our receiver core and it’s allowed college sports for teams like us……I mean what’s the point?

I'm certainly worried about Brown.

 

[UKortho]

It’s fine. I’m more interested to see if our players can be poached or how the NIL is gonna work. If those things go south we can’t maintain anything anyway past a few more seasons.

Still haven’t had anyone explain this in detail or if it should work out. If Alabama or someone comes after our receiver core and it’s allowed college sports for teams like us……I mean what’s the point?

I’m naturally nervous but these seem to be really valid concerns.

If that happens…man. Hate to even think about it.

 

[kb22stang]

If that happens…man. Hate to even think about it.

If that happens it's time to turn to the NFL. If UK can't retain star youngsters then we won't be able to retain Stoops.

 

[catben]

9-3 is ALWAYS a great season!!!! Now if all 3 losses are like the one last Saturday, it would also be disappointing because it would mean we were even better than our record and we could have won the SEC East.

 

[UKortho]

I expected 8-4 or 9-3. If we can find a way to beat either of Miss. St or UT we will have exceeded my expectations for this year. We simply lost too much from last years team.

Definitely take 9-3.

 

[Kybluedude]

Great season

 

[entropy13]

9-3 is ALWAYS a great season!!!! Now if all 3 losses are like the one last Saturday, it would also be disappointing because it would mean we were even better than our record and we could have won the SEC East.

^ This. Would love nothing more than for UK to take the next step to winning the SEC East and making a NYD6 bowl game. They still have a chance but didn't do themselves any favors this past Saturday. We control our own destiny, but I think 9-3 is the most likely outcome. With that, we'd probably get an invitation to the ReliaQuest (formerly Outback) Bowl.

 

[bpfree]

Before the Florida game I was afraid to make a guess at where we would end up. After that win I believed that 9-3 is optimal, 8-4 would be a little disappointing, and 11-1 was a dream scenario. No one has the right to be upset at a 9-3 UK team till that actually becomes the norm. By norm I'm talking about UK doing it like 7 times in 10 seasons.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Both. In all honesty this is actually a gap/transition year. Inexperienced OL, young talented wrs, great RB, NFL prospect but developing/inconsistent college QB. On D we can replace everyone we lose except wright who's instincts will be tough to replace.

Next year, depending on the portal, we have the opportunity to be better. Much better imo. OL will be much improved, WR will be a year better (plus incoming/developing talent) and we will definitely have the opportunity to get RB and QB from portal.

 

[JHB4UK]

Perspective, even 8-4 would be a great season.

Our offense started the year with ONE player in the same position as last yr - out of 11. Horsey & Cox playing new O line positions. Defense lost Vito for the yr & had to plug in 2 portal transfers into the secondary.

 

[ORCAT]

9-3 would be a successful year. Wasn't long ago that 9-3 for UK was just a Longshot dream. Hope WR transfers don't hurt us next year.

 

[ganner918]

Sticking with my preseason assessment: I want 9-3, I think anything less will be kind of disappointing given our potential (4 pretty damn easy OOC games and 4-4 in conference isn't great). But I have aspirations for 10-2. I want to see us continue making forward progress, and 8-4 (4-4) is treading water before losing our star QB and RB.

 

[UkMccurdy]

Having gone to nearly 40 years worth of games… 9-3 is wonderful. Stoops has made UK relevant for more than just a few years like Curci, Mumme and Brooks (guys in my lifetime as a UK fan). This is solid progression toward being a top 25 level program year in and year out.

I was in Oxford last Saturday and the loss disappointed quite a bit. However, one should always zoom out and look at the bigger picture. 7-5 would be a major bummer and 8-4 might feel kind of meh. 9-3 is a really good season and fans should appreciate years like that!

Lets aim even higher but also be happy with years when we win 75% of our games while competing in the toughest league in the nation.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

9-3 for Kentucky football is really good, we as fans can be disappointed we lose games like the ole miss games, but until Kentucky consistently beats Tennessee/Florida and challenges Georgia for real, 9-3 is a really good year

 

[Sparkaces1]

Going 3-0 against Miss St, South Carolina and Mizzou is gonna be easier said that done, take 9-3 all day!

 

[STL_Cat]

Both. In all honesty this is actually a gap/transition year. Inexperienced OL, young talented wrs, great RB, NFL prospect but developing/inconsistent college QB. On D we can replace everyone we lose except wright who's instincts will be tough to replace.

Next year, depending on the portal, we have the opportunity to be better. Much better imo. OL will be much improved, WR will be a year better (plus incoming/developing talent) and we will definitely have the opportunity to get RB and QB from portal.

While I get your point, it's pretty hard for a Kentucky fan to sit here and look at this team with a potential 1st round draft pick QB and call this a "gap year". We have one of the top QBs in the country this year, no idea who our QB will be next year. This is not a gap year for Kentucky football.

 

[Cefiro]

I still think we go 8-4…..lose to UGA, UT, and drop 1 more.

I call it a disappointment, first round QB, talented receivers, really good RB, and defense. Not to mention, that would have us losing to every decent team we’ve played.

 

[Sparkaces1]

While I get your point, it's pretty hard for a Kentucky fan to sit here and look at this team with a potential 1st round draft pick QB and call this a "gap year". We have one of the top QBs in the country this year, no idea who our QB will be next year. This is not a gap year for Kentucky football.

Plus arguably the best (or at least deepest) UK has ever been at linebacker

 

[Girthang]

Few here thought we'd win more than 9 games after all the starters we lost on the OL. If any of the many who thought we'd be lucky to win 8 or 9 are disappointed in this season, regardless of the final record, who cares? They can drown in it. That will help us all enjoy the seasons going forward.

If this team plays hard and competes every single game, I won't be disappointed in the season outcome. They're just numbers building up to a future.

Right now we're a penalty or a FG and a PAT (or safety) from being undefeated, and both of those were within our control. Ole Miss was not in control of that outcome and they know it.

We have a lot to play for and I'm enjoying the season and team. Next...

 

[Nubb16]

I’d like to win out but that might just be me

 

[zannmann]

9-3 at minimum or season is a bust. 1st round QB, great receivers and CRod, more offensive weapons than we have had in years.

 

[K_TIME]

9-3 would entail missing a NY6 game and would likely mean the UGA game in November is not the build up for East title game....to me is would be fine but a slight disappointment.

And when you consider what we lose
- Levis is huge at QB even if we get transfer
- CRod is huge as well as our vaunted stable of RB look like crap to be honest. We'd almost surely have to hit portal would we not?
- Tayvion Robinson
- D loses almost all the LBer save JJ Weaver. Keidron and Ajian in the secondary. So that side of ball honestly could fill those holes quit well and you get Vito back at safety. You could have a tremendous D but the offense is a huge question mark given the losses.

We need to atleast get to UGA game to decicde the East to feel like we took a step in the program.

 

[blugrazz]

I’d like to win out but that might just be me

This is UK's best chance to have their best record in 40 years and when this team is clicking on all fronts I think they would be hard to beat. So every loss in particular the one this past weekend is disheartening. 10-2. I'll take the loss to Georgia but they are beatable.

 

[jwphelps]

I was thinking 8-4 or 9-3 this year due to a lot of unknowns. Oline…WRs…DBs…New Coaches…etc.

Then CRod gets suspended.

So reflecting, I wasn’t expecting an undefeated season. IMO if UK can beat UT and goes 9-3 that would be a great season! Win in a bowl would cap it off.

What do others think?

Just remember Nebraska had a coach who won 9 to 10 games a season, they fired him and look at what they have now.

 

[gossie21]

Going 3-0 against Miss St, South Carolina and Mizzou is gonna be easier said that done, take 9-3 all day!

We really only have 2 gimmes the rest of the way (Vandy and UofL).

Then we have 2 really difficult games to win (Georgia and UT)

In between those two - we need to win out against USC, MSU and Mizzou to go 9-3. As Kentucky fans we have seen too many seasons filled with disappointment to expect to win those. If we can't get the O-line figured out it could be very disappointing. Then again if we do get the O-line shored up, then we can start to dream again.

 

[know1]

Historically, 9-3 is awesome for UK football. I was expecting about that going into the season anyway.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Third 9 and 3 in 5 seasons is good. It would be nice to get to 10 and 2 once in our lives but SEC is tough.

 

[gamecockcat]

My goal for the team this year was win 9+ games (including bowl), finish top 15 in the final poll. If we accomplish those two things, no way will I be disappointed. It should keep the momentum going. While we may not have a QB and RB as accomplished as Levis and Rod next year, I would expect the OL to be better, the receiving corps to still be talented and deep. With the transfer portal, who knows who might be taking snaps and carrying the ball. Jefferson should come back, a true FR could emerge, another transfer, etc.

 

[IFerg1969]

A lot depends on how the season unfolds. My preseason expectations were 9-3, 10-2. I don't think we're at the point where we can sneeze at those types of seasons. Would we like more, definitely!

 

[UKUGA]

Right now I want to win every game we play.

 

[jimmy cowboy]

9-3 or 8-4 is a good season for this group...anything more which is possible would be great IMHO

 

[bigbluedon]

I was thinking 8-4 or 9-3 this year due to a lot of unknowns. Oline…WRs…DBs…New Coaches…etc.

Then CRod gets suspended.

So reflecting, I wasn’t expecting an undefeated season. IMO if UK can beat UT and goes 9-3 that would be a great season! Win in a bowl would cap it off.

What do others think?

Somewhat agree. I think we lose toUT and Ga and win the rest. O line needs to improve. I don’t think Levis has what it takes between the ears to take us to the promised land. Probably too much pre season hype. 9-3 would be very good.

 

[BurgLife]

I thought we would win 10 prior to the season.... expected losses to Georgia and at Knoxville. That said, would definitely be happy with 9 wins.... but also expect to compete with Georgia and UT and could win one of those. Definitely not giving up on 10 wins as a possibility.

 

[_ukcat]

I had us at 8-4 with Losses to Fla. Ole Miss,UT and Ga. So 9-3 above what I figured but that Ole Miss does really sting.

 

[Cawood86]

Stoops has made UK football legit. Made them respected. No longer pushovers. I never want to go back to how things were.

I was aggravated and disappointed with loss, but UK football going 9-3 or 8-4 is good.

Now Stoops has caused us to expect more. I love that. I know he has worked extremely hard to do that. I expect Stoops expects more and will not shy away from that.

 

[JHB4UK]

9-3 would entail missing a NY6 game and would likely mean the UGA game in November is not the build up for East title game....to me is would be fine but a slight disappointment.

If that scenario plays out like that....it means UK is 8-2 going into Georgia week, likely back in top 10, game is on CBS, and the 7 days leading up to Saturday will be a damn pandemonium circus of excitement!