Vandy Loss changed everything…

[maysvilleky]

For me the whole perception of this season is different because of the Vandy loss.

Beat Vandy, play UGA tough, and beat UofL and a 8-4 UK is likely ranked in top 25. That would have been a different feel for me about the season.

Ole Miss would have been the missed opportunity.

SC - terrible game plan but no Levis so….

UT just was flat out better this year.

UGA was at least competitive.

Vandy ….No Excuse. Completely ruined the season IMO.

 

[sambowieshin]

For me the whole perception of this season is different because of the Vandy loss.

Beat Vandy, play UGA tough, and beat UofL and a 8-4 UK is likely ranked in top 25. That would have been a different feel for me about the season.

Ole Miss would have been the missed opportunity.

SC - terrible game plan but no Levis so….

UT just was flat out better this year.

UGA was at least competitive.

Vandy ….No Excuse. Completely ruined the season IMO.

That game sucked for sure.

 

[BBNFORLIFE]

Probably one of the worst losses by stoops in several seasons.

 

[sluggercatfan]

For me the whole perception of this season is different because of the Vandy loss.

Beat Vandy, play UGA tough, and beat UofL and a 8-4 UK is likely ranked in top 25. That would have been a different feel for me about the season.

Ole Miss would have been the missed opportunity.

SC - terrible game plan but no Levis so….

UT just was flat out better this year.

UGA was at least competitive.

Vandy ….No Excuse. Completely ruined the season IMO.

Vandy, OM and SC, but WL out for this one.

 

[Tskware]

Hard to argue, 2022 I think is the SEVENTH regular season that has ended 7-5 since 2002, and so many could have been a game or two better had just a play or two gone our way. Of course, we could have, and frankly probably should have lost at Missouri this season, no doubt lots of teams that went 6-6 to 8-4 feel the same way. I am sure NC State and Louisville are scratching their head wondering how in the hell they lost to Boston College.

 

[john4uk]

For me the whole perception of this season is different because of the Vandy loss.

Beat Vandy, play UGA tough, and beat UofL and a 8-4 UK is likely ranked in top 25. That would have been a different feel for me about the season.

Ole Miss would have been the missed opportunity.

SC - terrible game plan but no Levis so….

UT just was flat out better this year.

UGA was at least competitive.

Vandy ….No Excuse. Completely ruined the season IMO.

My feelings exactly. There are some losses that are very hard to explain and the Vandy loss tops the list,

 

[CB3UK]

We have a head scratcher every damn year

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

The Vandy loss sucked, but I’ll forever believe that the fate of UK’s season turned in the fourth quarter in Oxford.

 

[ukalum1988]

The Vandy loss sucked, but I’ll forever believe that the fate of UK’s season turned in the fourth quarter in Oxford.

True, but the Vandy loss is likely the difference between the Outback Bowl and a lesser bowl TBD.

 

[LouievileKat]

It was shocking to lose to Vandy but the South Carolina game had already lowered my expectations. But that's what happens when you take an SEC game for granted.

 

[ManitouDan]

Our season changed course in the 4th Q of the Ole Miss game . And a lot of that was 2 fumbles by WL . And a call for an early snap .

 

[bigblueinsanity]

It definitely sucked but to be fair both vandy and SC were much better than anyone anticipated.

That said, I truly think both losses were on the staff. Imo they thought we were good enough to rest Levis and beat SC and imo they were prepping lots of younger guys for snaps vs vandy

 

[aikenite4uk]

On balance we've won more than our share of close ones the last few years....got a little reversion to the mean this year for a lot of reasons that added up.

 

[backinky2018]

Agree with the OP, it definitely leaves a sour taste. With that said, here is some sugar to accompany the sour:

-Beat UF in the swamp in a game that could easily have gone the other way. Any UK win in the swamp is golden.
-Beat our western rival MSU handily and they are probably the 3rd best team in the west.
-Again handled our in state rival easily, and now have some much needed momentum headed into the offseason.

 

[17Cut-Nets]

It definitely sucked but to be fair both vandy and SC were much better than anyone anticipated.

That said, I truly think both losses were on the staff. Imo they thought we were good enough to rest Levis and beat SC and imo they were prepping lots of younger guys for snaps vs vandy

Then Stoops getting a substantial raise making him the 6th highest paid coach in the country essentially right after that Vandy loss is the most UK football thing ever.

Losing to that Vandy team in year 10 of his tenure was honestly a fireable offense. Instead, we gave him a raise. Bizarre times, man.

 

[Kampus Korner]

The Vandy loss was bad but based on preseason expectations for a “special season” held by many fans, major disappointment had already set in prior to Vandy game.

 

[Cefiro]

That’s college football, one game can make or break your season. That loss was 100% unacceptable

 

[KA4Prez]

Honestly, lose to just the 4 (besides Vandy) and arguably, all losses to top 25 teams and teams as good or better than UK.

With a shot at a decent Bowl Game against another mid-level P5 program that would be yet another good barometer.
Instead, might face a non-P5 school in a meaningless bowl game where half of this 7-5 team doesn't play in.

 

[liveblue92]

Had WL snapped the ball a split second later in the OM game, and the Ajian interception not have been called back on a penalty away from the ball against Vandy, we’re 9-3 again despite looking like ass most of the season on offense and ST.

 

[fabcat]

The Vandy loss sucked, but I’ll forever believe that the fate of UK’s season turned in the fourth quarter in Oxford.

IMO the season turned on Levis injury in the second qrt of the Ole Miss game. That’s where he sustained his turf toe injury. The season IMO would have played out different if he had stayed healthy and been able to One practice all week, and two, been able to run. I think it hurt our offense even more with him not being but about 70%

 

[maysvilleky]

Agree with the OP, it definitely leaves a sour taste. With that said, here is some sugar to accompany the sour:

-Beat UF in the swamp in a game that could easily have gone the other way. Any UK win in the swamp is golden.
-Beat our western rival MSU handily and they are probably the 3rd best team in the west.
-Again handled our in state rival easily, and now have some much needed momentum headed into the offseason.

I agree there were some positives. That’s why I think the Vandy loss changed my feeling. If we had won that game, I would have felt UK’s season would have been more positive than negative.

 

[Hjack]

We have a head scratcher every damn year

I have very little hair left after this year.

 

[Girthang]

To OP...
Ah, yes. Can't close out the regular season with a win without dredging up a loss from 2 weeks ago. Forgot where I was for a couple days....

 

[Girthang]

The Vandy loss sucked, but I’ll forever believe that the fate of UK’s season turned in the fourth quarter in Oxford.

100% Ole Miss.

It was the week before that game imo. All of the Heisman talk did the same thing to Levis and UK that it did to Woodson and UK years ago. We went undefeated into Columbia SC and walked out with the shine knocked off of us. Just weren't prepared. We never quite recovered this year.

 

[PhattyJ4UK]

It's every year ..we've just been lucky enough(or unlucky if it leads to Stoops riding the sinking ship years longer) to pull out the close ones against interior teams

Think about some of the God awful teams we should have probably lost to.

Chattanooga should have beat us

Miss st was a horrible loss and probably kept us out of a major bowl

Vandy, south Carolina, Ole miss(adding them because it was mistakes- both on field and sideline- like declining a penalty because you're too scared of 3rd and 33 and they end up winning by a field goal that they wouldn't have been in position for of you accept penalty)

Auburn Missouri Ole miss were all games wr should have won In covid year

Southern miss, mtsu.. more Missouri..

Stoops is very fortunate to work for an ad who doesn't care about winning football and a fan base who is so abused they are so terrified to anger a below average in game coach.