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...
Lane Kiffin Brought A Familiar Lexington Gameday Habit Back Again
Lane Kiffins gameday routine has become part of the soundtrack whenever he shows up in Lexington, and before LSUs primetime visit to Kentucky, the Tigers coach again leaned into the same habit he has kept for years: hot yoga. It is the kind of detail that has followed Kiffin through stops at Tennessee and Ole Miss, and it adds a little extra texture to a matchup that already has plenty of familiarity for Kentucky fans.
Kiffin has faced the Wildcats six times with three different schools, with the results bouncing around along the way, and his latest trip brought back a ritual that has become almost as recognizable as his sideline presence. Kentucky coach Will Stein has earned praise from Kiffin, even if he does not share the LSU coachs enthusiasm for hot yoga, which is just one more small contrast in a rivalry that keeps finding new layers. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Getting Doubted Again Before A Massive SEC Test
The build-up to Kentuckys SEC showdown with LSU has already turned into a familiar exercise in skepticism, at least if you listened to the College GameDay panel. Kentucky enters the matchup as an 8.5-point underdog, and the discussion around it reflected the split that tends to follow the Wildcats when the stage gets bigger. Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban offered cautious optimism about Kentuckys chances, while other voices on the panel stayed far more guarded about what the Wildcats might be able to do.
For Kentucky, that mix of respect and doubt is hardly new, but it does add a little more edge to a game that already matters plenty in the SEC picture. The conversation around the matchup also showed how differently the Wildcats are being viewed from network to network, which only makes the spot on the schedule feel heavier. The real test now is whether Kentucky can turn those mixed opinions into something more convincing once the game is played. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Popes Final Kentucky Staff Move Could Matter On The Trail
Kentucky has filled its final assistant coach opening by hiring Alfred Aboya, giving Mark Pope another experienced voice on the bench as the program keeps sorting through an offseason of roster and staff construction. Aboya arrives with coaching background that includes work with NBA Academy Africa, and his resume points to a skill set that goes beyond the usual day-to-day duties of an assistant.
For Pope, the addition also carries potential value where Kentucky has been pushing to stay aggressive: on the recruiting trail. Aboyas international connections give the Wildcats another link to talent beyond the usual borders, and it fits with Popes offseason indication that one more staff move was likely coming. The job is done on paper, but the broader impact may show up in the months ahead as Kentucky continues building its next roster. [Read more 🡒]