Mark Stoops and Company are coming off their third straight bowl game win and 5th straight appearance. Looking to keep the ball rolling, the Wildcats are set to have one of their most talented rosters on paper throughout Stoops' tenure, this fall.
The Cats Coverage staff isn't afraid of the heat, so we went on record and casted our season predictions on how we think the Cats will pan out. The receipts are here, there's no running from it, and by the end of the season you'll see we knew what we were talking about.
Matt Sak 10-2
Game 1 vs Louisiana Monroe: W
Game 2 vs Missouri: W
Game 3 Vs Chattanooga: W
Game 4 At South Carolina: W
Game 5 Vs Florida: W
Game 6 Vs LSU: W
Game 7 At Georgia: L
Game 8 At Mississippi State: L
Game 9 Vs Tennessee: W
Game 10 At Vanderbilt: W
Game 11 Vs New Mexico State: W
Game 12 Vs Louisville: W
Locks: Louisiana Monroe, Chattanooga, Louisville
Upsets: LSU, Florida
"This season, I think our Cats go 10-2. My prediction is that we will go undefeated at home (8-0), including two key wins back-to-back over Florida and then LSU. I don’t think we will have enough to beat Georgia on the road and I still feel like we will have 1 other road loss that we probably should have won, which is Mississippi State. We should feast on our out of conference schedule and beat all of Mizzou, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt as well."
Jordan Mathus 9-3
Game 1 vs Louisiana Monroe: W
Game 2 vs Missouri: W
Game 3 Vs Chattanooga: W
Game 4 At South Carolina: W
Game 5 Vs Florida: *
Game 6 Vs LSU: *
Game 7 At Georgia: L
Game 8 At Mississippi State: W*
Game 9 Vs Tennessee: W
Game 10 At Vanderbilt: W
Game 11 Vs New Mexico State: W
Game 12 Vs Louisville: W
"My prediction is 9-3. I think all 4 non-conference games are a lock, Louisville will not be good. Kentucky will lose to Georgia on the road and *one of the two between Florida and LSU. I can see Kentucky dropping a game they shouldn’t, maybe (at) Mississippi State.*
Locks: Vandy and Tennessee. Clark Lea will have Vanderbilt competing within the next couple of years but it’s going to take some time to build a program like Vandy. Tennessee is in a complete rebuild and don’t know what they have as a team yet."
Grant Peters 10-2 (2nd in SEC East)
Game 1 vs Louisiana Monroe: W
Game 2 vs Missouri: W
Game 3 Vs Chattanooga: W
Game 4 At South Carolina: W
Game 5 Vs Florida: W
Game 6 Vs LSU: W
Game 7 At Georgia: L
Game 8 At Mississippi State: L
Game 9 Vs Tennessee: W
Game 10 At Vanderbilt: W
Game 11 Vs New Mexico State: W
Game 12 Vs Louisville: W
Guaranteed Wins: Louisiana-Monroe, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, Louisville
Probable Wins, But Possible Losses: Missouri, Mississippi State, South Carolina
Upset Wins: Florida, LSU
Guaranteed Losses: Georgia
"It’s no secret that Kentucky has one of the easiest non-conference schedules in the country this year. With cupcakes such as Louisiana-Monroe and Louisville on the schedule, we’re guaranteed to go 4-0 in the non-conf. this season. Factor in two games against the bottom of the barrel East teams (Tennessee & Vanderbilt) and one can clearly see how we’re guaranteed to go to bowl season with six clear wins on the schedule. I have a tough time seeing Missouri coming into Lexington and walking out with a win in the atmosphere that game is going to bring. I also don’t see us losing to Mississippi State or South Carolina, however both games are on the road and it’s possible we could drop one, but still very unlikely. If we’re the team everyone is predicting us to be, then we’ll take one against UF or LSU (if we’re the team I’m expecting us to be then we’ll take both) – If we’re undefeated going into Florida week then I just don’t see a scenario where we don’t finally get the job done in Commonwealth. And for LSU, first of all I’m not sold on their team the way everyone else is, and secondly, they play Auburn before us and Florida after us, making it the perfect trap-game. I put Georgia as the only guaranteed loss on the schedule because they have an absolute squad this year (even though I think JT Daniels sucks) they still have playmakers all over the field and I just can’t see us going down between The Hedges and coming away victorious. In all honesty, I only see us losing to Georgia this season, but I know we’ll drop one we shouldn’t have which is why I’ve got us at 10-2, and with the bowl game, 11-2.
Tres Terrell 9-3
Game 1 vs Louisiana Monroe: W
Game 2 vs Missouri: W
Game 3 Vs Chattanooga: W
Game 4 At South Carolina: W
Game 5 Vs Florida: W
Game 6 Vs LSU: L
Game 7 At Georgia: L
Game 8 At Mississippi State: W
Game 9 Vs Tennessee: L
Game 10 At Vanderbilt: W
Game 11 Vs New Mexico State: W
Game 12 Vs Louisville: W
Locks: ULM, Missouri, Chattanooga, Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, and Louisville. (Louisville by a mile), L's down all damn day.
Games UK Could Win: Florida, LSU, Tennessee.
Guaranteed Loss: Georgia, are you kidding me? They're the juggernauts of the SEC East and honestly they have no business being in college football. Just move them on up to the NFL.
"Yeah, I was pretty hard on my prediction, but I just can't fathom that there is an assumed 'W' next to Tennessee's name. Going into that Saturday, of course you won't be able to talk me out of a Cats win, and I do believe we are a better team, but it seems that for the last three decades they still find a way to give us a run for our money no matter if they've lost every game of the season before us.
I'm sure some of you are destroying me for saying we would beat Florida, and lose to a program like Tennessee, but I do believe Kentucky is due for another win against the Gators. We should have beaten the Gators atleast 4 of the last 6 matchups, although we only came away with one official win. It has became known around Gainesville that we aren't just the boys from above that can be chomped on, that we can come out with the win on any night. I believe the Cats will do just that this year."
Don't let my 9 wins fool you... I can easily see 10 happening with a steal against LSU.
Jordan Hughes: 10-2
Game 1 vs Louisiana Monroe: W
Game 2 vs Missouri: W
Game 3 Vs Chattanooga: W
Game 4 At South Carolina: W
Game 5 Vs Florida: L
Game 6 Vs LSU: W
Game 7 At Georgia: L
Game 8 At Mississippi State: W
Game 9 Vs Tennessee: W
Game 10 At Vanderbilt: W
Game 11 Vs New Mexico State: W
Game 12 Vs Louisville: W