Roman Harper spent Saturday morning making one thing clear: Kentucky’s run under Will Stein deserves a lot more respect.
The former Alabama safety and current SEC Nation analyst went on a passionate rant about the Wildcats after they slipped out of the AP poll despite a 4-1 start and a 2-1 SEC mark. Kentucky had already taken a loss at home to Alabama in Week 2, but it also grabbed a road win at Texas A&M and then pulled off another stunner last week at South Carolina, winning 1-point in overtime in Columbia.
That last result moved Kentucky to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the league, but it also sent the Wildcats from No. 24 to unranked in the next AP poll. With No.
10 LSU set to visit Lexington on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Harper argued that kind of treatment shouldn’t stand.
“I want to get to Kentucky, and nothing about on the field stuff either. I’m talking about the Big Blue Nation being disrespected this week.
How you go on the road, steal a win, in the SEC, and this is the best conference in all of sports, and all of a sudden I drop out of the top 25,” Harper said. “How does that even happen?
The disrespect of Kentucky must stop today. And if I’m the Big Blue Nation, I’m standing up, pounding my chest to let everybody else know, it’s our time.
We belong, and we’re going to have to go out and do it again today, and if we have to beat LSU to do it, then LSU I feel bad for you.”
Harper’s message was simple: Kentucky has earned the right to be taken seriously, and Saturday night gives the Wildcats another chance to prove it under the lights against LSU in Lexington.
In Other News...
Alabama Could Get A Needed Offensive Boost For Georgia
Alabamas offense may be getting a timely lift just in time for the Georgia game, with tight end Josh Ford expected to be available after missing time with a broken arm and subsequent surgery. Ford practiced during the week, and coach Kalen DeBoer sounded encouraged about where things stood as the Tide worked through their final preparations for one of the biggest matchups on the schedule.
For an Alabama attack that could use every available option against Georgia, Fords presence would add another layer to the game plan and another body defenses have to account for. The injury picture around the SEC is still shifting, with Georgia expecting running back Nate Frazier back from bruised ribs while Chauney Bowens remains out, and other teams dealing with their own uncertainty as Floridas Vernell Brown III and Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre head into the week with bigger questions of their own. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Gets Its Biggest Chance Yet To Prove It Belongs
Alabamas fast start has turned Saturday in Tuscaloosa into the kind of measuring stick that can tell you plenty about where a team really stands. The Crimson Tide and Georgia arrive unbeaten at 5-0, and with both already looking like serious College Football Playoff factors, this matchup carries the feel of more than just an early-season showcase. Alabama has put together a promising opening stretch and now gets a home chance to back up the idea that it belongs in the national title conversation.
The game should come down to the details that usually decide heavyweight meetings, especially quarterback play and turnover margin. Georgia brings the sort of challenge that has a way of exposing any soft spots, while Alabama is looking for proof that its early momentum can hold up against an opponent built to test every phase. If the Tide can manage the pressure and avoid giving away possessions, it would go a long way toward turning a strong start into something even more convincing. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Put Alabama Fans Through A Brutal GameDay Moment
Week 6 of College GameDay delivered one of those scenes Alabama fans will remember for a while, as Sam and Mason took part in Pat McAfees field goal contest on the set. Mason had a real chance to turn the moment into a massive payday, only to miss twice at winning more than $500,000, leaving the crowd with that mix of agony and disbelief that only live TV can produce.
McAfee still turned the segment into something meaningful for the Alabama area, pledging to donate $500,000 to hurricane relief efforts. It was a rough ending for the fans who lined up for the kick, but the Crimson Tide now move on to a far bigger stage, with Georgia coming to town for an upcoming SEC showdown that will command plenty of attention of its own. [Read more 🡒]