The SEC never sleeps-and even with the regular season in the books, the drama hasn’t taken a breather. Lane Kiffin’s departure has added another twist to an already chaotic coaching carousel, and with the SEC Championship Game now locked in-Alabama vs.
Georgia in a heavyweight rematch-the stakes are only getting higher. But before we look ahead, let’s take a look back at how things shook out after a wild rivalry week.
We’re starting at the bottom of the conference, where things have taken a sharp turn for one program in particular.
SEC Power Rankings After Rivalry Week: No. 16 - Kentucky
It’s been a rough ride for Kentucky, and the wheels finally came off in dramatic fashion. The Wildcats’ bowl hopes were already hanging by a thread weeks ago, but the moment that really defined their season came on a gutsy-some might say desperate-4th-and-goal call in overtime against Texas.
They tried to punch it in straight up the gut, and came up empty. That loss didn’t just sting-it put them on a collision course with the kind of late-season collapse that’s hard to recover from.
That collapse came to a head in Louisville, where the Wildcats were completely overwhelmed in a 41-0 shutout. That loss wasn’t just a bad day at the office-it was the final straw. Kentucky has officially parted ways with head coach Mark Stoops, ending a tenure that, for all its ups and downs, represented one of the most successful eras in program history.
Let’s be clear: Stoops didn’t leave Kentucky in shambles. In fact, outside of Bear Bryant, no coach has done more for the Wildcats than he has.
But in the SEC, progress is a moving target. And after a string of seasons where Kentucky flirted with being more than just a middle-of-the-pack team, the recent downturn-especially the way this season ended-was enough for the administration to say it’s time for a change.
Now comes the hard part. Firing a coach is one thing.
Finding the right replacement-especially this late in the year, with so many programs already deep into their own searches-is another challenge entirely. Kentucky isn’t just looking for a coach; they’re looking for a lifeline to stay competitive in a conference that’s only getting deeper and more dangerous.
There’s no question this program has had moments where it looked like it belonged in the SEC’s upper half. But with Stoops out and no clear successor lined up, the Wildcats are staring down the possibility of slipping right back into the conference basement.
The next few weeks are going to be critical. Whoever takes the reins in Lexington will be tasked with not just rebuilding, but reestablishing a program that had carved out a respectable place in the SEC-and now risks losing it all.
Keep an eye on the bluegrass. This coaching hire could define Kentucky football for the next decade.