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Kentucky rising in new bowl projections following win over Florida

Are the Wildcats closing in on being in the New Year’s Six conversation?

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Vince Marrow Drew Brown - Sea of Blue

For the first time since 1986, the Kentucky Wildcats are coming off a home win over the Florida Gators, as they defeated their SEC East rivals 20-13 on Saturday.

With the win, UK improved to 5-0 on the year with a perfect 3-0 conference record, which finally earned them a spot in the AP Top 25 at No. 16 entering a home battle against LSU this week.

While Kentucky is sitting pretty at 5-0, their schedule won’t be getting easier. Despite their struggles, LSU is just two years removed from winning a national championship and still has plenty of talent.

Then, UK will hit the road to Georgia to take on the No. 2 Bulldogs, followed by a trip to Mississippi State, who upset 15th-ranked Texas A&M in College Station last week.

The Cats will then host Tennessee, who put 62 points on Missouri in Columbia this past weekend. They’ll then finish the regular season with a lighter slate that features a visit to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt, a home game against New Mexico State, and a trip to Louisville to take on the Cardinals.

Thus, while all but locked in for a bowl game, a lot can change between now and the end of the regular season, making Kentucky’s bowl game projections a bit complicated as they seek a New Year’s Six bid.

Here’s a look at where some projections are sending UK following their win over the Gators:

CBS Sports: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan State Spartans

247 Sports: Music City Bowl vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Athletic: Sugar Bowl vs. Texas Longhorns

Saturday Down South: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan Wolverines

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma Sooners

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan Wolverines

A Sea of Blue’s Aaron Gershon: Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys