Kentucky back in the top 25

The Kentucky Wildcats are back in the top 25!

After winning their last two games by a combined 90-33 against Vanderbilt and New Mexico State, Mark Stoops’ team checked in at No. 25 in the latest Coaches Top 25 Poll. Kentucky did not make the latest ESPN power rankings or the new AP Top 25 Poll.

It will be interesting to see if the Cats will make it back into the College Football Playoff rankings when the next edition comes out Tuesday night. Even if they don’t make it, a win over 6-5 Louisville this week likely gets them in the following week.

Saying that, beating Louisville is far from a given. Frankly, the Cards aren’t that far from being a top 25 team coming into this matchup.

Among Louisville’s close losses this season include:

• A last-second 37-34 loss at Wake Forest, who’s been a top 15 team much of this season.
• A 34-33 loss to Virginia after leading by 17 in the fourth quarter.
• A 28-13 loss at NC State after leading 10-7 entering the fourth quarter.
• A 30-24 loss to Clemson after being 1st and Goal at the the 2-yard line with a minute to go but were unable to punch it in.

So yeah, Louisville could easily have eight+ wins and this be a Governor’s Cup battle of top 25 squads, so anyone that thinks Kentucky will win easily is sorely mistaken.

It’s also another reason why, despite that very disappointing three-game losing streak, a 9-3 finish would be a special season for Kentucky football.