Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt didn’t hold back when addressing complaints about the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee leaving out SEC teams in favor of programs like Indiana and SMU. Using social media to voice his perspective, Klatt dismantled arguments for teams like Alabama and Ole Miss, while indirectly shining a harsh light on Kentucky football’s lackluster 2024 season.
Some incredibly disappointing takes out there!@IndianaFootball certainly didn't play their best while@NDFootball was terrific However, IU played better than
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) December 21, 2024
- @AlabamaFTBL getting their doors blown off by 6-6 OU
- @OleMissFB giving Kentucky their only P4 win
Klatt tweeted about Indiana’s 27-17 loss to Notre Dame (it was not that close) and SMU’s 38-10 blowout at the hands of Penn State, acknowledging they performed poorly but noting they still played better than SEC programs like Alabama, which suffered a crushing loss to a 6-6 Oklahoma team, or Ole Miss, which became Kentucky’s only Power 4 win. Ouch.
For Kentucky fans, Klatt’s critique of Ole Miss stings even more when looking back at the Wildcats' season. Kentucky’s marquee victory came against the Rebels, in Oxford. Beyond that, Kentucky’s other wins came against Murray State, Southern Miss, and Ohio. A deeper dive into the Wildcats’ schedule reveals that Murray State and Southern Miss combined for a dismal 2-22 record, and while Ohio finished 11-3, the Bobcats play in the MAC—a conference far from the caliber of SEC competition. Even factoring in Ohio’s strong season, in Kentucky’s wins, thier opponents posted a combined record of just 13-25.
Klatt didn’t stop there. He also took aim at Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who sarcastically tweeted about how entertaining the SMU game was despite the lopsided score. Klatt fired back, remarking that if Kiffin’s team played half as well as he tweets, Ole Miss might have made the CFP.
If your team played half as well as you tweet you would likely be in https://t.co/tgpIFpxo8I
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) December 21, 2024
For Kentucky, Klatt’s comments reflect a broader issue: a need for stronger performances against quality opponents. That is something Mark Stoops has yet to excel at in his time in Lexington beyond the Citrus Bowl year. In a year where the Wildcats missed out on a bowl game, the criticism of their weak schedule underscores the importance of building a more competitive non-conference slate and securing signature wins in the future.