Paul Finebaum is never shy when it comes to bold opinions — and this week, Kentucky football fans were squarely in his crosshairs.
While discussing Tennessee’s upcoming schedule on his show, the longtime SEC Network personality made a blunt declaration about the current state of the conference.
"“At Mississippi State, that doesn't take a lot of imagination...At Kentucky, I mean, those two are arguably the two worst programs in the SEC.”"Paul Finebaum
Ouch.
Finebaum's comment came in the context of discussing Vanderbilt — a program long viewed as the SEC’s doormat. Now though they are looked at as a much better program than both Mississippi State and Kentucky.
Harsh words... but are they wrong?
Kentucky football fans have every right to be frustrated by Finebaum’s comments — but if we’re being honest, it’s hard to completely refute them.
The Wildcats padded their win total early last season with blowouts against Ohio, Southern Miss and Murray State, scoring a combined 120 points in those three non-conference games. Take those away, and the offense looked toothless.
In the other nine games, Kentucky scored just 127 total points — an average of 14.1 per game. That includes being held under 20 points six different times. Meanwhile, the defense allowed 253 points in those nine matchups, often getting gashed by more physical SEC teams.
Even in games that were winnable, Kentucky simply didn’t execute. From red zone inefficiency to special teams errors and inconsistent quarterback play, the Wildcats couldn’t put it together when it mattered.
Mississippi State may be worse — but not by much
Sure, Mississippi State probably holds the “worst team” title right now after a disastrous 2-10 campaign. But Kentucky isn't far behind. The Wildcats went 4-8 in the regular season, but they were just 1-7 in SEC play with blowouts to South Carolina, Florida, and Louisville.
If not for a soft non-conference slate, the final record could’ve easily been 2-10 or worse.
That’s the point Finebaum is making — and it’s hard to argue when the numbers back him up.
Time to prove him wrong
It’s now up to Mark Stoops and his staff to rewrite the narrative. There’s talent on the roster, maybe not as much as the last two seasons. But the Wildcats have proven in the past that they can punch above their weight — remember the 10-win season in 2018?
But moral victories and recruiting rankings won’t silence critics like Finebaum. Only results on the field will.
And until Kentucky proves it can be competitive again in the SEC’s brutal middle class — alongside teams like Florida, South Carolina, and Vandy— expect the narrative to stay the same.
Finebaum may be loud, dramatic, and occasionally out there. But on this one?
He might just be right.