Chances of getting into the top 25 next weekend...

[Old School]

Kentucky is now #32 in the AP poll and #28 in the coaches' poll.

If three or more teams ahead of Kentucky in the coaches' poll lose next week, Kentucky could enter the top 25. About 8 with more AP votes would have to lose for Kentucky to enter that top 25. Unfortunately, most teams ahead of Kentucky are favored against their opponents next weekend.

AP:

17 Michigan 4-1 524
18 South Florida 5-0 482
19 San Diego State 6-0 465
20 NC State 5-1 421
21 Michigan State 4-1 416
22 UCF 4-0 274
23 Stanford 4-2 109
24 Texas Tech 4-1 105
25 Navy 5-0 74
26 Georgia Tech 3-1 39
27 West Virginia 3-2 26
28 Louisville 4-2 25
29 Utah 4-1 17
30 LSU 4-2 9
31 Florida 3-2 9
32 Kentucky 5-1 6
33 Iowa State 3-2 5
34 Texas A&M 4-2 4
35 Memphis 4-1 2

Coaches:

16 Michigan 4-1 612
17 Virginia Tech 5-1 599
18 San Diego State 6-0 516
19 Notre Dame 5-1 498
20 NC State 5-1 455
21 UCF 4-0 273
22 Michigan State 4-1 261
23 Utah 4-1 122
24 Navy 5-0 110
25 Stanford 4-2 107
26 Louisville 4-2 85
27 Georgia Tech 3-1 47
28 Kentucky 5-1 41
29 West Virginia 3-2 29
29 Texas Tech 4-1 29
31 Florida 3-2 23
32 Texas A&M 4-2 14
33 Troy 4-1 10
34 Memphis 4-1 9
34 LSU 4-2 9
36 Wake Forest 4-2 5
36 Virginia 4-1 5
38 Iowa State 3-2 4
39 Mississippi State 3-2 3
39 Iowa 4-2 3
39 South Carolina 4-2 3
42 Texas 3-2 2
42 Colorado State 4-2 2

So, who to root for if you want to see Kentucky ranked after next weekend?

Indiana, 7 point underdogs against #17/16 Michigan

Cincinnati, 25 point underdogs against #18/15 South Florida

Boise State, 7 point underdogs against #19/18 San Diego State

Pitt, 13 point underdogs against #20/20 NC State

Minnesota, 3 point underdogs against #21/22 Michigan State

East Carolina, 29 point underdogs against #22/21 Central Florida

Oregon, 11 point underdogs against #23/25 Stanford

#27/29 West Virginia, 6 point underdog against #24/30 Texas Tech (actually, the winner of this game may overtake UK, and the loser fall behind; Tech is 4-1, WVU 3-2, so UK may benefit more if WVU wins)

#35/34 Memphis, 4.5 point underdogs against #25/24 Navy

#11 Miami, 6 point favorites against #26/27 Georgia Tech

Boston College, 20 point underdogs against #28/26 Louisville

#13 USC, 13 point favorites against #29/- Utah

#34/32 Texas A&M or #31/31 Florida (Florida is favored by 3)

#10 Auburn, favored by 7 against #30/35 LSU

North Carolina, 1-5 but only a 3 point underdog against -/#37 Virginia

South Alabama, 17 point underdogs against -/#33 Troy

Kansas, 21 point underdogs to #33/37 Iowa State

[Blue Heaven]

We would be in there now if we knew how to put teams away.

[TrueblueCATfan]

We would be in there now if we knew how to put teams away.

Agreed.....had we beaten Florida we would be 6-0 and in the top 25

[catfan]

Put teams away. I second that brother.
3 teams by single digits that should have been way more.
1 by 11 should have been more.
1 good game on opponents field
1 BIG GIFT WRAPPED IN BLUE AND WHITE AND DELIVERED BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

[johnkyblue]

I'd rather have the winning instinct than a killer instinct without a winning instinct.

[Spiritof96]

Whether we get into the top 25 or not, I have been looking at some advanced stats and where we stand and I am worried about the rest of the season.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ncaa2017 We are ranked like 75th in the nation and behind every team left on our schedule.

[Matt Dillon]

I'd rather have the winning instinct than a killer instinct without a winning instinct.

I'd say most, if not all, teams that have a killer instinct have a winning instinct as well.

[Lighthouse]

I'd say most, if not all, teams that have a killer instinct have a winning instinct as well.

You would think so. One without the other is a loser most of the time.

[Old School]

Whether we get into the top 25 or not, I have been looking at some advanced stats and where we stand and I am worried about the rest of the season.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ncaa2017 We are ranked like 75th in the nation and behind every team left on our schedule.

Here are where Kentucky and its opponents stand in the current Sagarin ratings:

05 Georgia
23 Mississippi State
30 Louisville
34 Florida
42 South Carolina
57 Tennessee
63 Kentucky
67 Vanderbilt
68 Ole Miss
95 Southern Miss
101 Eastern Michigan
104 Missouri
206 Eastern Kentucky

The good news: Sagarin's main rating has Kentucky favored, slightly, over Tennessee due to home field advantage. The bad news: his predictor rating favors Tennessee, and also Vanderbilt who also has home field advantage.

Many posters have said they'd like to see Kentucky shore up its ability to consistently win the games it's supposed to win, along with an upset each year, and then move on from there. A win against Ole Miss, and no more, would likely accomplish that in 2017, against either present measures or how things look at season's end. Anything beyond that would constitute something beyond that step...and wins against Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Louisville are very realistic possibilities, and Mississippi State isn't good enough to be a wrrteoff. Vanderbilt beat a ranked team this year. Tennessee has a lot of talent. Anything over six this year would indicate the program is at a nice stage of improvement, and certainly far beyond where it was when Stoops arrived.

[Spiritof96]

Here are where Kentucky and its opponents stand in the current Sagarin ratings:

05 Georgia
23 Mississippi State
30 Louisville
34 Florida
42 South Carolina
57 Tennessee
63 Kentucky
67 Vanderbilt
68 Ole Miss
95 Southern Miss
101 Eastern Michigan
104 Missouri
206 Eastern Kentucky

The good news: Sagarin's main rating has Kentucky favored, slightly, over Tennessee due to home field advantage. The bad news: his predictor rating favors Tennessee, and also Vanderbilt who also has home field advantage.

Many posters have said they'd like to see Kentucky shore up its ability to consistently win the games it's supposed to win, along with an upset each year, and then move on from there. A win against Ole Miss, and no more, would likely accomplish that in 2017, against either present measures or how things look at season's end. Anything beyond that would constitute something beyond that step...and wins against Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Louisville are very realistic possibilities, and Mississippi State isn't good enough to be a wrrteoff. Vanderbilt beat a ranked team this year. Tennessee has a lot of talent. Anything over six this year would indicate the program is at a nice stage of improvement, and certainly far beyond where it was when Stoops arrived.

I think if we go .500 the rest of the way we should be over the moon. I am concerned about how much negative public perception their seems to be given our current record.

[Matt Dillon]

I am concerned about how much negative public perception their seems to be given our current record.

I think that can be attributed to two things: (1.) we've struggled to beat the teams in the weakest part of the schedule and (2.) I think a lot of people still remember the season (2015) where we were 4-2 at the midway point of the season and ended up 5-7. Now, if we can come out of the bye week and win three of the first four games or, even better, all four and head to Athens with a 9-1 or 8-2 record I'd say the fans will fall in line.

[johnkyblue]

I 100% agree on the 2015 season being the reasoning on any negativity.

[Joneslab]

I think it has more to do with the fact that we've struggled to beat all 5 teams.

The schedule does get tougher in the second half but not that much tougher. Still think 8 is very possible.

[KevinHall]

As for next week and being ranked the 8 ball says:

[Spiritof96]

I think that can be attributed to two things: (1.) we've struggled to beat the teams in the weakest part of the schedule and (2.) I think a lot of people still remember the season (2015) where we were 4-2 at the midway point of the season and ended up 5-7. Now, if we can come out of the bye week and win three of the first four games or, even better, all four and head to Athens with a 9-1 or 8-2 record I'd say the fans will fall in line.

I don't disagree. I think I just don't like it. We have wanted wins for so long, now that we are getting them... Cut CMS a break and enjoy the victories.