Kentucky still has to wait for its number to show up in the AP Poll, but the Wildcats are getting close enough that the national picture is starting to shift.
After Saturday’s 31-21 upset road win over Texas A&M, Kentucky landed just outside the latest AP Top 25, checking in at No. 27 with 98 points. The Coaches Poll had already placed the Wildcats just beyond the ranked teams, slotting Will Stein’s group at No. 30 with 54 points.
The win sent Texas A&M tumbling. The Aggies dropped from No. 9 to No. 23 in the AP Poll, a 14-spot fall that was the biggest slide of any team in the updated rankings.
Kentucky’s rise didn’t stop there. ESPN’s College Football Power Index moved the Wildcats up 15 spots to No. 36 after the victory, and the numbers now give UK a 52.6 percent chance of making a bowl game, along with a 3.2 percent shot at reaching the College Football Playoff.
The Wildcats will get their next chance to build on that momentum next Saturday against South Alabama, which comes into Kroger Field at 2-1. Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
At the top of the AP Poll, Texas sits at No. 1, followed by Georgia and Notre Dame. Ole Miss climbed four spots to No. 4, while Indiana, Miami, Ohio State, Alabama, BYU, LSU and the rest of the top 25 round out the latest rankings.
Kentucky, though, is now part of the conversation - even if the ranking next to its name still hasn’t arrived yet.
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Made The Statement Fans Needed After Last Week
Kentucky walked out of College Station with more than a win, leaving behind a 31-21 upset of No. 9 Texas A&M that felt like a much-needed jolt after last weeks noise. The Wildcats got early defensive stops to set the tone, then found a cleaner rhythm on offense after halftime, with Kenny Darby and Jason Patterson helping turn a tight road game into a result that will travel well back to Lexington.
For Will Stein, it was his first victory over a top 10 team in just his third game as head coach, and it came with some historical weight attached. Kentucky had not beaten a top 10 opponent since 2024, and the margin was the largest in program history against one, a sign that this was more than a fluky Saturday bounce. The bigger question now is whether the Wildcats can turn that statement into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Upset At Texas A&M Just Changed The Will Stein Debate
Kentuckys 31-21 upset of No. 9 Texas A&M landed as the kind of road win that can recalibrate a season, and maybe even the conversation around first-year coach Will Stein. The Wildcats got steady quarterback play from Kenny Minchey, who was efficient throughout the day, while the defense under Jay Bateman came up with the kind of timely stops that have been missing in too many recent stretches. Against a ranked opponent in a tough setting, Kentucky looked organized, opportunistic and far more settled than the underdog label suggested.
For Stein, the win adds another noteworthy line to an early rsum that is already drawing attention in Lexington. Kentuckys ability to go into College Station and come away with a result like this gives the program something tangible to build on, especially with Minchey settling in and the defense showing it can travel. The bigger question now is whether this was a breakthrough moment or the start of something even more meaningful for a team that just changed the way people are looking at its coach. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Put Will Steins First Season Back In Play
Kentuckys first-year run under Will Stein got a needed lift with a win over a top-10 Texas A&M team, a result that changes the tone around a season that still has plenty of work left. The Wildcats have not made bowl eligibility since 2023, and with a tough finish ahead, every remaining Saturday now carries a little more weight as they try to keep Steins debut on track.
The path is still narrow, but it is there. Kentuckys remaining opponents leave little margin for error, and the kind of victory that can carry a team into December is still sitting in front of them if they can handle business down the stretch. For a program looking to show early signs of progress under a new coach, the next few weeks may end up telling the whole story. [Read more 🡒]