Breaking down the 2017 Kentucky Football Schedule

Last week, UK released their 2017 football schedule and other than the traditional switches of home games to away games. Only a few new teams were added to the new schedule.

@ Southern Miss: September 2

Eastern Kentucky: September 9

@ South Carolina: September 16

Florida: September 23

Eastern Michigan: September 30

Missouri: October 7

Bye: October 14

@ Miss. State: October 21

Tennessee: October 28

Ole Miss: November 4

@ Vanderbilt: November 11

@ Georgia: November 18

Louisville: November 25

The schedule adds EKU, Central Michigan, and Ole Miss to the schedule while taking Alabama, New Mexico State, and Austin Peay off. The core of Kentucky's schedule remains the same with the traditional SEC East matchups and the couple SEC West matchups.

The three non-conference games are supposed to be the Cats' games to get their stuff together for the tough SEC play but, as we all know of recent these nonconference matchups haven't exactly been the tune up games we've expected.
EKU is added to the Cats' schedule once again.

When they played in the 2015 season the Cats' struggled and eventually defeated the Colonels for the fourth time in history, the Cats have never lost to the Colonels in history.

UK paid Eastern 450,000 dollars to Eastern Kentucky University in 2015 and have finalized a deal to pay them 500,000 dollars for the game in the 2017 season. It is a one-game deal.

Central Michigan is a part of the MAC which includes notable teams such as Bowling Green, Toledo, and Ohio. The Chippewas are currently ranked 41st in the CBS Sports Coaches Poll. So far this season they've sported a high octane offense putting up an average of 41 points a game.

Notable wins so far include the controversial last-second win over Oklahoma State. The Chippewas have improved the offense from last year putting up only 27 points a game throughout the 2015 season. The defense allowed 23 points a game last year. The last time the Cat's played Central Michigan in 2011 the Cats' won 27-13.

Ole Miss is added to the schedule, essentially replacing the SEC West matchup with Alabama that the Cats' will have this season. The 2015 season was an almost disappointing season for the Rebels with wins against Alabama and LSU and losses against Memphis and a bad one against Florida.

So far in the 2016 season, the Rebels are 1-2 with losses against Alabama and Florida State and a win over Wofford. The loss against FSU was disappointing after being up most of the game.

As always Louisville is the last game of the regular season and the winner will obtain the Governors Cup which, in recent history, is the only trophy Kentucky has had a chance at winning, unfortunately.

Going through the 2016 season and off season we will see how the Cats' will fair against the new schedule.