With Mark Stoops beginning his sixth season and 17 starters returning — including a back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher on offense and a projected NFL first-round draft pick on defense — you’d think Kentucky football would be primed for a climb up the conference ladder.
If so, the Cats are going to have to prove it.
We’ve written before about the lack of preseason love. SEC media voting plugged UK in the No. 5 spot in the seven-team East Division. Las Vegas has put the over/under on the Wildcats’ 2018 win total at 5.5. As far as ticket sales are concerned, the fans have enthusiastically taken a stay-at-home/wait-and-see approach to the football team’s chances.