Kentucky football fans, brace yourselves—247sports Brad Crawford has delivered a grim outlook for the Wildcats' 2025 season, projecting a 3-9 finish with a winless record in SEC play. If true, this would be the program’s worst season since Mark Stoops’ first year in 2013, and it would put the head coach’s already hot seat flames into a full-blown inferno he may not be able to recover from.
Crawford didn’t hold back in his assessment:
“Patience has to be wearing thin for Mark Stoops. He once again puts all of his eggs in the transfer portal basket and needs several home runs or else. This is the toughest schedule the Wildcats have played during his tenure and includes eight games against possible ranked teams. Brutal. Kentucky's only winless season in the SEC came during Stoops' first year in 2013, but history might repeat itself.”
Ouch. That hurts.
Breaking Down the Prediction
Crawford’s game-by-game projections give Kentucky just three wins, coming against Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Tennessee Tech—hardly inspiring confidence for a program that just a few years ago was competing for SEC East relevance.
Losses include:
- Ole Miss (Home)
- South Carolina (Away)
- Georgia (Away)
- Texas (Home)
- Tennessee (Home)
- Auburn (Away)
- Florida (Home)
- Vanderbilt (Away)
- Louisville (Away)
If these projections hold, Kentucky would finish 0-8 in the SEC for only the second time under Mark Stoops.
Mark Stoops: A Hot Seat He Can’t Escape?
Kentucky’s $37.5 million buyout for Stoops looms as a major hurdle for those hoping for a coaching change. It’s no secret that UK fans were already frustrated after last season’s 4-8 finish, and a step backward could ignite full-scale anarchy in Lexington. However, given Stoops’ contract structure and his track record of program stability, his job might still be safe—whether fans like it or not.
What’s Next for the Wildcats?
With one of the toughest schedules in the country, Kentucky will need several unexpected upsets to prove the doubters wrong. Can Stoops and his team shock the SEC and avoid another historic low? Or will 2025 mark the beginning of the end for his tenure in Lexington?
Where do you see Kentucky finishing this season? Let us know in the comments!