Kentucky football’s season has been full of twists, but if we look beyond the ugly loss to South Carolina, the team actually looks quite strong.
The Wildcats faced a significant setback when they were beaten decisively by South Carolina, losing 31-6 at home. But they rebounded impressively a few weeks later, pulling off a stunning road upset over Ole Miss, 20-17. Then, Ole Miss went on to dominate South Carolina, the same team that had previously routed Kentucky. This sets up an unusual scenario where Kentucky lost badly to a team that was then handled easily by a team the Wildcats had defeated.
Kentucky also came close to a major upset against then-No. 1 Georgia, losing by a slim 13-12 margin. If a controversial pick-six had been ruled differently, Kentucky could have claimed a huge win over the top-ranked Bulldogs, further boosting their resume.
This brings us to an important point: it’s time to “flush” the South Carolina loss from memory. If we treat that game as an outlier, the rest of the Wildcats’ season looks much better. Kentucky has shown they are capable of competing with and beating top-tier teams.
Removing the South Carolina game changes some stats but not drastically. The passing game improves from 170.4 yards per game to 202, while rushing sees a modest increase of about three yards per game. On defense, Kentucky ranks ninth in the country in yards allowed, and even with the South Carolina game removed, it doesn’t change much—dropping from 244 to 238 yards allowed per game.
The real change is in the perception of Kentucky. Without the loss to South Carolina, they have only one narrow loss to a top-ranked team and a victory over a top-10 opponent. This highlights their potential as a strong contender.
While you can’t actually erase a game, Kentucky is still in a solid position. Despite a couple of SEC losses, a strong run for the rest of the season could make a case for them to reach the college football playoff. Finishing 10-2 or 9-3 is very much in play.
Looking ahead, Kentucky’s next game against Vanderbilt will be crucial, especially considering Vanderbilt’s recent success, including an upset over No. 1 Alabama. For now, it’s time for fans to look at the rest of the season with optimism instead of uncertainty.
