Kentucky doesn’t fall far in new top 25 polls

UPDATE

The Kentucky Wildcats suffered an ugly loss Saturday, but it was just their second defeat this season, both coming on the road.

So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Kentucky didn’t fall very far in any of the new college football top 25 polls or power rankings.

The new AP Poll has Kentucky down to No. 18, while the Coaches Poll put the Wildcats at No. 17, the same spot they got in the new ESPN power rankings. That means Kentucky will enter the month of November at 6-2 overall and ranked inside the top 20 of both major polls, which just about everyone in Big Blue Nation would have been thrilled with coming into the season.

Saying this, Kentucky needs to beat the Tennessee Volunteers this week to stay in the hunt for a 10-win regular season and a New Year's Six bowl.

AP Top 25 Poll

1. Georgia, 8-0 (63 first-place votes)

2. Cincinnati, 8-0

3. Alabama, 7-1

4. Oklahoma, 9-0

5. Michigan State, 8-0

6. Ohio State, 7-1

7. Oregon, 7-1

8. Notre Dame, 7-1

9. Michigan, 7-2

10. Wake Forest, 8-0

11. Oklahoma State, 7-1

12. Auburn, 6-2

13. Texas A&M, 6-2

14. Baylor, 7-1

15. Ole Miss, 6-2

16. UTSA, 8-0

17. BYU, 7-2

18. Kentucky, 6-2

19. Iowa, 6-2

20. Houston, 7-1

21. Coastal Carolina, 7-1

22. Penn State, 5-3

23. SMU, 7-1

24. Louisiana Lafayette, 7-1

25. Fresno State, 7-2

Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh 117, North Carolina State 104, Wisconsin 91, Mississippi State 79, Arkansas 72, Minnesota 51, San Diego State 50, Appalachian State 23, Utah 11, Iowa State 9, Nevada 2

Coaches Top 25 Poll

1. Georgia (64 first-place votes)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan State
7. Oregon
8. Notre Dame
9. Wake Forest
10. Michigan
11. Oklahoma State
12. Texas A&M
13. Baylor
14. Auburn
15. Ole Miss
16. Iowa
17. Kentucky
18. UTSA
19. Houston
20. BYU
21. Coastal Carolina
22. NC State
23. Penn State
24. SMU
25. Pitt

Others Receiving Votes: Louisiana 156; Fresno State 73; San Diego State 65; Arkansas 65; Minnesota 29; Wisconsin 26; Mississippi State 20; Utah 10; Appalachian State 10; Air Force 9; Liberty 4; Iowa State 4; Clemson 4; Arizona State 1.

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Kentucky went into Starkville and got a reality check Saturday night. The Wildcats were outright embarrassed by the Bulldogs, and they could not contain them on either side of the ball.

The defense, aside from a couple sacks, got virtually no pressure on Will Rogers, and was beat up by the dink-and-dunk all night long, with seemingly zero adjustments being made.

The offense was no better. Will Levis threw multiple interceptions, Chris Rodriguez put the ball on the ground multiple times, the second time this season, and for the second straight game, Kentucky could not establish a running game.

So, where would, or should, Kentucky be ranked in the following AP poll? Kentucky more than likely won’t drop all the way out of the top-25, although they could be on the verge. They were flat-out dominated by a pretty average Mississippi State team, so a fall to the 20s is probably likely.

As for the playoff talk, well, that was simply a pipe dream, but now that is put to rest once and for all.

Kentucky will still more than likely be ranked with the Tennessee Vols coming to town, a game that is now a must-win if Kentucky still wants any shot at a New Year’s Six bowl, and a 10-win season.