Kentucky’s climb in the Coaches Poll keeps getting louder.
The Wildcats jumped eight spots in Sunday’s Top 25 update, landing at No. 17 after a 35-34 overtime win over LSU on Saturday night at Kroger Field. Kentucky entered the weekend at No. 25, and the result over a top 10 Tigers team sent a clear message to the coaches around the country: the Will Stein wave is very much rolling.
It was the second straight week Kentucky won by one point in dramatic fashion. Just a week earlier, the Wildcats edged South Carolina on the road by the same 35-34 final.
LSU took the biggest hit in the poll, dropping 11 spots to No. 21 after falling to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in SEC play.
Kentucky’s next test comes against an Oklahoma team that pulled off one of Saturday’s more eye-catching results, knocking off top-ranked Texas 27-24 at home. Even with that win, the Sooners didn’t crack the Coaches Poll Top 25.
They picked up 50 points just outside the rankings, which puts them at an unofficial No. 29.
Oklahoma will host Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Here is the updated Coaches Poll Top 25 for Oct. 11:
- Georgia (+1)
- Notre Dame (+1)
- Miami (+1)
- Indiana (+1)
- Ohio State (+1)
- Texas (-5)
- Alabama
- BYU
- Texas Tech
- Ole Miss (+1)
- Utah (+1)
- UCLA (+10)
- Missouri (+3)
- Tennessee
- Southern California (+2)
- Iowa (+2)
- Kentucky (+8)
- Houston (+1)
- Mississippi State (+1)
- Oklahoma State (+6)
- LSU (-11)
- SMU (-1)
- Wake Forest (+6)
- Boise State (+3)
- Oregon (-12)
In Other News...
Kentuckys LSU Celebration Came With A Price Fans Will Debate
Kentuckys wild scene after its 35-34 overtime win over LSU carried the kind of energy fans will remember for a long time, but it also brought an immediate financial hit. The SEC fined the University of Kentucky $500,000 for violating the leagues competition area access policy after supporters stormed the field, a penalty tied to the conferences increased enforcement for those situations beginning in 2025.
Will Stein also weighed in on the celebration, which only adds to the debate over how much is spontaneous joy and how much becomes a problem for the school. Under SEC rules, the fine can be waived if fans wait until officials and the visiting team have left the field, but that did not happen here, leaving Kentucky to absorb the cost along with the aftermath of one of its biggest wins. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's LSU Celebration Just Came With A Brutal Price
Kentuckys overtime win over LSU gave the Wildcats a huge on-field moment and a costly off-field reminder of how the SEC now handles field-storming celebrations. The league announced that Kentucky will have to pay LSU $500,000 after fans rushed the field following the victory, a penalty tied to a 2025 SEC rule governing access to the competition area.
The fine is paid directly to the opposing team in conference games, so LSU will receive the money before its next SEC matchup. For Kentucky, the celebration came after a result that moved the Wildcats to 5-1, but the aftermath leaves the program dealing with a price tag as well as a signature win. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces A Tougher SEC Test Than Fans May Expect
Kentuckys next SEC road challenge comes with plenty of attention attached, and the numbers are not in the Wildcats favor. Oklahoma enters the Oct. 17 matchup installed as a 6.5-point favorite, with betting markets and ESPNs Matchup Predictor both leaning heavily toward the Sooners after their latest surge.
The context around Oklahoma matters here, too. Brent Venables team just knocked off No. 1 Texas in a tight game, and even with a 2-2 record, the Sooners have put themselves back into the conversation as a team capable of swinging big moments. For Kentucky, that means walking into a matchup that looks far trickier than it might have on paper a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]