The new AP Top 25 Poll dropped Monday, and while much of the country was buzzing about Alabama falling out of the top 20 after a loss to Florida State, the bigger story for Big Blue Nation was the brutal reality it confirmed: Kentucky’s path forward is a certified gauntlet. The road to a successful season is lined with ranked opponents, and the pollsters made it clear they don’t think the Wildcats are up to the task.
A murderer's row confirmed
Any hope that Kentucky's schedule might soften has been erased. The latest poll shows the Wildcats are slated to face a staggering six teams currently in the Top 25, including three teams in the top 10 alone. The schedule is absolutely relentless:
- No. 4 Georgia
- No. 7 Texas
- No. 10 South Carolina
- No. 13 Florida
- No. 20 Ole Miss
- No. 22 Tennessee
And it doesn’t stop there. Two more opponents, Auburn and Louisville, are sitting just outside the rankings and received a significant number of votes. That means eight out of eleven Kentucky's remaining opponents are considered among the nation's best. For a program looking to rebound, the AP Poll has officially put everyone on notice: there are no easy weeks ahead.
The ultimate sign of disrespect?
Perhaps the most telling part of the new poll wasn't who was on it, but who was missing. Kentucky secured a win against a Toledo team that was receiving AP Poll votes last week. The result of that victory? Toledo was knocked out of the "others receiving votes" category entirely, while the Wildcats received a grand total of zero votes.
For Coach Mark Stoops, this is the ultimate challenge. He is tasked with closing a perceived talent gap against a schedule that offers no room for error. In recent years, bridging that gap in big games has been a struggle. This season, with one of the toughest slates in the country, his coaching will be tested like never before. The path to earning national respect won't be given; it must be taken, one ranked opponent at a time.
The first test in this daunting journey begins this Saturday at Kroger Field against the No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels. As we’ve detailed, Lane Kiffin’s team brings a statistically explosive offense to Lexington, providing the first of many opportunities for the Wildcats to prove the pollsters wrong and force their way into the conversation. Can the Cats turn the tide after that game in 2022 set the program back? We will find out Saturday.
Week 2 AP top 25 poll
- Ohio State (55)
- Penn State (7)
- LSU (3)
- Georgia
- Miami
- Oregon (1)
- Texas
- Clemson
- Notre Dame
- South Carolina
- Illinois
- Arizona State
- Florida
- Florida State
- Michigan
- Iowa State
- SMU
- Oklahoma
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Indiana
- Texas Tech
- Utah
Others receiving votes: BYU 102, Auburn 94, Georgia Tech 67, Southern Cal 64, Louisville 59, TCU 49, Missouri 42, South Florida 25, Tulane 18, Nebraska 13, Kansas St. 7, James Madison 4, Liberty 4, UNLV 4, Duke 4, Navy 2, Pittsburgh 2, Baylor 2, Virginia 2, Memphis 2
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time, he spends time with his family, and watching Premier League soccer. Lamentations 3:24. #UpTheAlbion