Kentucky moves up to #11 in the AP poll

[Old School]

Kentucky is #17 in the latest coaches' poll.

Mississippi State is #19.

SEC:

#1 Alabama
#3 Georgia
#6 LSU
#10 Auburn
#17 Kentucky
#19 Mississippi State

Others receiving votes:

#33 South Carolina
#36 Florida
#37 Texas A&M
#42 Missouri

SEC has six ranked teams, ten (of 14) receiving votes.

ACC has four teams ranked (8 receiving votes): #2 Clemson, #16 Miami, #23 Duke, #24 Virginia Tech who somehow remains in despite losing to 0-3 Old Dominion. I'm sorry, but if you lose to 0-3 Old Dominion, not even a D-I/BCS team, you're not one of the 25 best teams in the country. There are more than 25 teams that would not lose that game.

Big Ten has five teams ranked (7 receiving votes): #4 Ohio State, #9 Penn State, #13 Wisconsin, #15 Michigan, #18 Michigan State.

Big XII has four teams ranked (6 receiving votes): #5 Oklahoma, #12 West Virginia, #21 Oklahoma State, #22 Texas.

Pac 12 has three teams ranked (9 receiving votes): #7 Stanford, #11 Washington, #20 Oregon.

JV leagues have two teams with no business in the rankings: #14 UCF and #25 Boise State.

There is a 23 point difference between #16 Miami and #17 Kentucky but a 155 point difference between #16 Kentucky and #17 Michigan State. That indicates that just about all voters agreed Kentucky belonged in the top 25, or even top 20, but not everyone agreed on the teams behind Kentucky.

Teams Kentucky could pass if it takes care of business against South Carolina on Saturday, in order of likelihood:

loser of the #7 Stanford vs. #8 Notre Dame game (mercy for the Pac 12 might favor Stanford retaining votes; a Notre Dame loss after barely beating Vanderbilt should put them below Kentucky and others and remind voters how badly they're suckered every year into overrating that team)

#9 Penn State (plays #4 Ohio State)

#12 West Virginia (plays Texas Tech)

#11 Washington (plays BYU)

#15 Michigan (plays at 1-2 Northwestern)

#16 Miami (hosts 1-2 North Carolina on Thursday)

#14 UCF (hosts 2-2 Pitt)

#13 Wisconsin

#10 Auburn (hosts Southern Miss)

I'll predict two of those teams lose and drop behind Kentucky. Three is definitely possible.

[Old School]

Kentucky is also ranked #17 in the current AP poll.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Congrats to our football team......They earned it

[Westtncat]

And we are underdogs to SC? I dont get it.

[johnkyblue]

I wonder how many voters put Miss St above UK?

[kr24]

Sports Illustrated ranked UK #10 in their poll. A little low if you ask me.

[Old School]

Kentucky is now #15 in the coaches poll. Stanford fell from 7 to 14, just above Kentucky. The Wildcats passed Michigan and Miami, both 4-1, but not Wisconsin, who was idle and is 3-1.

#1 Alabama
#2 Georgia
#6 LSU
#9 Auburn
#15 Kentucky

Also receiving votes:

#27 Florida
#33 Texas A&M
#35 Missouri
#37 Mississippi State
#42 South Carolina

10 of 14 SEC teams are getting poll votes as we enter October.

[fastkat]

13th in the AP poll

[Old School]

13th in the AP poll

Yes, moving past Stanford, Michigan, Wisconsin and Miami.

[TrueblueCATfan]

WOW...just keep winning.....way to go CATS

[85 Fly]

I support all SEC football teams (the more that make it into the final four the better) but I have to say I began looking at UK football last year and this season I've watched every game so far. CATS are fun to watch! #BBN

[J.Jennings]

As a UK fan for many years, there have been more downs than ups. Most of the time much excitement would build only be let down and fall short. I will not comment either way about this team right now because i do not want to curse or jiinx it but i will say this, I AM WATCHING!!!!

[Old School]

Kentucky moved up to #14 in the AP poll and #17 in the coaches poll.

In the AP poll, #7 Washington, #8 Penn State and #15 Wisconsin fell behind Kentucky. #17 Oregon moved ahead of Kentucky to #12. #6 West Virginia fell to #13, just ahead of Kentucky:

Votes, position, team:
917 #12 Oregon
700 #13 West Virginia
678 #14 Kentucky

SEC teams:

#1 Alabama
#5 LSU
#8 Georgia
#11 Florida
#14 Kentucky
#17 Texas A&M
#22 Mississippi State

In the coaches (PR guys) poll, Washington and Penn State stayed ahead of Kentucky, and Oregon shot up to #11.

Some observations:

Michigan at 6, Texas at 7: very overrated, especially given that Texas lost to Maryland. UCF at 10: no way, especially after barely beating Memphis. Teams that play a weak schedule like that have no business being ranked like that. Notre Dame at #4 is ridiculous; they barely beat Pitt yesterday, yet moved up a spot. That's nuts. Texas A&M at #17 is underrated; Florida at #11 is overrated. NC State at 16: overrated. Cincinnati and USF at 20 and 21 don't even belong in the rankings. I wish one of them was playing unranked Texas Tech next weekend.

I'd love to see Kentucky stay ranked every week through the rest of the season, through the bowls, and in the 2019 preseason rankings.

[Catsrock]

Thanks Old School. And agreed...there are certain teams these polls absolutely ache to over-rate regardless of the evidence. We are not one of those teams. But they probably currently have us about right.

[Old School]

Thanks Old School. And agreed...there are certain teams these polls absolutely ache to over-rate regardless of the evidence. We are not one of those teams. But they probably currently have us about right.

The chronic overrating of Notre Dame is the worst, I think. It’s been that way for decades. The Big Ten gets a lot of undeserved benefit as well.

Current Sagarin ratings (computer based):

1 Alabama
7 Georgia
9 LSU
12 Florida
13 Mississippi State
17 Texas A&M
20 Kentucky
29 Auburn
37 South Carolina
41 Missouri
64 Tennessee
72 Vanderbilt
91 Louisville
107 Middle Tennessee
122 Central Michigan
184 Murray State

Sagarin’s ratings have Kentucky favored slightly on the road at Missouri and by wider margins in all other games except Georgia.

Kentucky has one or two wins this year that we’re considered upsets at the time and perhaps also now. Manage to avoid coming out on the wrong end of any upsets and this will be a very successful season.


Kentucky would be favored in a bowl game against Michigan State, Texas Tech or TCU, but an underdog (at present) to Michigan, Penn State, Iowa, Notre Dame or Wisconsin. Odds might be close to even against Miami, Texas, NC State or West Virginia.