Josh Pate is known for his hot takes, but he also knows the game better than almost anyone in national media. So when he speaks, people listen—and he just declared that big things may be in store for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Josh Pate sees Kentucky in the CFP semis in 2 years
We have never seen anything quite like what Curt Cignetti has done with Indiana, a team that is about to play for a college football championship. But that doesn't mean we won't see it again.
Pate argues that the blueprint is there: when you hire a smart coach, build the right staff, and recruit the "right" players (not always just the highest-ranked ones), you can turn a program around in a hurry. He believes Kentucky is currently walking that exact path.
He took to X (formerly Twitter) to make a bold declaration:
I’m fully prepared for Will Stein to have Kentucky randomly in the CFP semifinals within 24 months
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) January 12, 2026
The Indiana blueprint
What an amazing journey that would be for a Kentucky program that had been sliding down the SEC hierarchy as Mark Stoops struggled to adapt to the new world of college football.
But now, the vibe in Lexington has shifted. With Will Stein, widely regarded as one of the best young offensive minds in the game, leading a hungry administration and a fanbase ready to roar, Kentucky may soon be poised to join Indiana as the sport's next Cinderella story.
The comparison isn't far-fetched. Indiana faced the exact same structural challenges that Kentucky does:
- Lack of blue-blood tradition.
- Not a natural "hotbed" for in-state recruiting.
- Located in a massive, resource-heavy conference.
Kentucky has a head coach with a fun offense, has landed big-time players in the portal, and is ready to explode.
Indiana proved it can be done. Now, Josh Pate believes Kentucky is next in line now.
We will see if he is right, but for the first time in a while, there is a legitimate national voice betting on the Cats.