University of Kentucky Football: Work In Progress

Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

Disappointing. There’s no other way to describe the University of Kentucky football team’s 41-3 shellacking at the hands of the LSU Tigers on Saturday night down in Baton Rouge. For the first time this season, the Wildcats looked thoroughly outclassed and not quite ready for primetime. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time an opponent played a night game at LSU and got embarrassed.  Many teams leave Cajun Country licking their wounds after a night game and, historically, the Cats haven’t been any different. Despite the promise of the 5-1 start to the season, many folks in the Big Blue Nation have called the game a step back, but is it?

Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

In August, few among us would have pegged head coach Mark Stoops’ second UK team to be staring at bowl eligibility and still in the hunt for the SEC East championship. The result against LSU is disappointing, but shouldn’t be disheartening. In the moment of the Cats being 5-1, a lot of us (myself included) jumped to the conclusion that perhaps the Cats could win in Baton Rouge, or if not win, keep it close. We know that LSU is tough at home at night. We know that LSU lost to both Mississippi State and Auburn in decidedly unusual LSU fashion, but the Tigers are still a very good football team. Now we all know how hard the Cats are going to have to work and much they will have to improve to compete in the upper level of SEC Football.

Coach Stoops and his staff have the Kentucky Football program far ahead what anyone would have predicted.  But, as the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s going to take time for the Cats to make that leap where they can go on the road in a tough environment against a tough team and pull out a victory. Contrary to what some folks have alluded to, Kentucky did not give up, the Cats were just outplayed. The players still believe in what they’re doing and the coaches do too. The last thing the program needs is for the fan base to waiver after one disappointing performance.

When UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart hired Coach Stoops, we all knew that the turnaround of the Wildcat Football program was going to take time. We knew there were going to be bumps on the road. We knew there were going to disappointing losses and some head scratching performances. Disappointment is understandable, but to claim that a 5-2 team that no one predicted would finish with more than 4 wins took a step back is too much. It’s placing too much emphasis on the last game and not on the 6 that preceded it. Overall, this season is a success. The program is moving in the right direction. It’s time for the Cats and the Big Blue Nation to focus on the MSU Bulldogs’ visit to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.

The Wildcats’ performance on Saturday, win or lose, will do more to shine a light on what’s this team is made of than any game to this point of the season. Kentucky has the opportunity to show the nation, once again, how far Coach Stoops has brought them. And the fans will be able to show everyone how invested they are in the program. Come early. Cheer loudly. Witness history. Why not?