The last few years, it has been weeks into the season before the Kentucky Wildcats have earned the respect of football media around the country. And whether it is due to Kentucky’s depth, the amount of talent returning on defense, or the fact that the Big 10 and Pac-12 are out of the picture, it looks like the launch point for the Wildcats is a bit higher this season.
In ESPN’s college football Power Rankings released on Sunday, Mark Stoops and his crew come in at No. 17 heading into week one. It may be important to note that they are the eighth SEC team on the list, behind four teams they will meet face to fact this season: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee.