The Kentucky Wildcats are ranked No. 5 in the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook preseason rankings.
Ahead of the Cats were the Arizona Wildcats (No. 1), Michigan State Spartans (No. 2), Duke Blue Devils (No. 3) and Kansas Jayhawks (No. 4).
In-state rival Louisville is right behind Kentucky at No. 6. Conference foes Florida and Alabama are ranked No. 8 and No. 24 respectively.
Missouri was left off the list despite having the No. 1 recruit (and Blue Ribbon’s Newcomer of the Year), Michael Porter Jr.
The only Cat listed on the Blue Ribbon All-America teams was Hamidou Diallo, who was on the fourth team.
The No. 5 ranking isn’t unfair, but making Hamidou Diallo the only All-American and having him all the way down on the fourth team seems like a bit of a snub. There’s a ways to go before the season even starts, though.
You can read the rest of the rankings and preseason player awards here.
Another publication that just put out its preseason top 25 is Athlon, where Kentucky comes in at No. 6. They also have five Kentucky opponents in its ranking, including Kansas (No. 3), Louisville (No. 5), West Virginia (No. 10), Florida (No. 13) and Texas A&M (No. 14).
That 5-6 range is where Kentucky is going to be in most preseason polls. They’ve got the talent and potential to be higher once March Madness rolls around, but a loaded schedule will lead to some bumps in the road.