Kentucky’s upset of Texas A&M didn’t just change the mood around the program. It changed the bowl math, too.
After the Wildcats’ 31-21 win over No. 9 Texas A&M, Kentucky has started popping back up in national bowl projections after disappearing from a few of them following the loss to Alabama. ESPN’s College Football Power Index now gives the Cats a 53.3% chance to reach six wins, and that’s enough to put them back in the conversation.
On3’s Brett McMurphy projects Kentucky to the Birmingham Bowl against Cincinnati on Tuesday, Dec. 29.
That would mean a 2 p.m. ET kickoff, landing the day after Kentucky basketball hosts Gardner-Webb.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura sends Kentucky in a different direction, projecting the Wildcats to Tampa for the Gasparilla Bowl against South Florida on Friday, Dec. 18. That one would come the day before Kentucky basketball plays North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in New York City.
The Cats also made a noticeable jump in national computer rankings. In Chris Vannini’s weekly FBS rankings for The Athletic, Kentucky climbed from No. 64 to No. 26, one spot ahead of Texas A&M.
Vannini wrote, “Three weeks into the season, our feelings on Ole Miss and the SEC as a whole have shifted,” Vannini wrote. “Texas A&M and Oklahoma look like the Playoff repeat longshots now.
Kentucky and Mississippi State look like tough outs. And maybe Chambliss really can power Ole Miss back to the CFP.”
CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson moved Kentucky up as well, slotting the Wildcats at No. 27, a 10-spot rise from last week.
“Will Stein’s group offered a strong resistance early against Alabama to get our voters’ attention, then at Texas A&M on Saturday the Wildcats left no doubt in a statement win for their new head coach. Kentucky has a ceiling to how it could rise in the rankings still with a 2-1 record, but both the result and the quality of the performance have the Wildcats moving up into territory they have not seen in the CBS Sports 138 in recent years.”
ESPN’s Football Power Index also gave Kentucky a boost, moving the Wildcats up 15 spots. The rest of the schedule now looks like this, with opponents’ FPI rankings reflecting where each team stands: Youngstown State is not ranked, Alabama is No.
7, Texas A&M is No. 11, South Alabama is No.
99, South Carolina is No. 27, LSU is No.
8, Oklahoma is No. 14, Vanderbilt is No.
43, Tennessee is No. 10, Florida is No.
16, Missouri is No. 32 and Louisville is No. 23.
Kentucky’s next chance to keep the climb going comes against South Alabama on Sept. 26 at Kroger Field.
In Other News...
Kentucky Faces One Risk Fans Hate After Texas A&M Win
Fresh off a road win at Texas A&M, Kentucky turns back home this week with South Alabama coming to Kroger Field and a little more uncertainty than the final score from College Station might suggest. The Jaguars arrive at 2-1 after wins over Southeastern Louisiana and Ohio, along with a close loss to Tulane, so this is not the kind of tune-up game the schedule guarantees on paper.
Will Steins bigger concern is what the victory may have cost on defense. Ty Bryant is dealing with a shoulder issue after trying to come back into the game against Texas A&M, and Grant Grayton is among the pieces Kentucky is monitoring as it tries to sort out who can go and who needs to be held back. With South Alabama up next and the rest of the schedule already looming, the Wildcats are balancing the urge to keep momentum rolling against the risk of making a short-term problem turn into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got An Early Answer On Will Steins New Staff
Jay Batemans move from Texas A&M to Kentucky gave Will Stein an early look at what his new defensive coordinator can do, and the timing of it made the whole thing feel a little richer. Bateman was on the other sideline in Kentuckys 31-21 win over the Aggies, and his group helped keep the game from turning into a shootout, limiting Texas A&Ms chances and giving the Wildcats enough room to settle in on the road.
For Stein, the fit appears to be about more than just scheme. He spoke highly of Batemans coaching and personal qualities, underscoring the trust already forming inside the new staff. Kentucky now has an early confirmation that one of its most important hires can handle a big stage, even if the bigger question around why Bateman made the jump is still part of the larger story. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Big Blue Wall Just Sent A Message Fans Have Missed
Kentuckys win over Texas A&M was the kind of result that does not always match the box score at first glance. The Aggies finished with more first downs, more total yards and more rushing yards, but the Wildcats still walked away with the victory because their offensive line controlled the game in the way Kentucky fans have been hoping to see again.
That front made life easier for Kenny Minchey, who settled in for 252 yards and two touchdowns while the Wildcats kept the pressure squarely on Texas A&M. Even Aggies coach Mike Elko pointed to Kentuckys physical edge after the game, a telling sign that this was less about flashy numbers and more about one team setting the tone where it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]