Kentucky Football head coach Will Stein is off to a historic start, as the Wildcats are now 6-1 and bowl eligible following a 21-13 road upset of Oklahoma Sooners.
Kentucky has won five consecutive games since its only loss of the season against Alabama, finding ways to win in both overtime and regulation. Now, the Wildcats are gaining national attention, with multiple analysts projecting them to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Here is where several national insiders have Kentucky in their
latest projections.
Kentucky College Football Playoff Projections
CBS Sports: Kentucky faces Ole Miss
Brad Crawford of CBS Sports projects Kentucky as the No. 10 seed, setting up a first-round matchup against No. 7 Ole Miss.
Crawford believes the SEC could earn a fifth playoff spot and highlighted Kentucky’s impressive start under Stein, noting that the Wildcats remain in contention for the SEC Championship.
Projection: No. 7 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Kentucky.
Athlon Sports and On3
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sportsprojects Kentucky as the No. 9 seed, with the Wildcats traveling to face No. 8 Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, Andy Staples of On3 has Kentucky at No. 9, facing No. 8 Ole Miss in the first round.
Scott Dochterman of The Athletic also projects Kentucky to make the field, placing the Wildcats at No. 11 against No. 6 Ole Miss.
ESPN analysts have Kentucky in the playoff field
Several ESPN analysts also project Kentucky to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, with the Wildcats’ projected seeds ranging from No. 8 to No. 10.
Here is where each analyst ranks Kentucky:
- David Hale: No. 10
- Max Olson: No. 8
- Adam Rittenberg: No. 10
- Alex Scarborough: No. 8
- Mark Schlabach: No. 9
- Jake Trotter: No. 8
- Paolo Uggetti: No. 9
- Dave Wilson: No. 8
ESPN’s Heather Dinich also ranks Kentucky at No. 9, pointing to the Wildcats’ five-game winning streak, three road victories against SEC opponents and four takeaways against Oklahoma.
Dinich also highlighted Kentucky’s strong strength-of-record and strength-of-schedule metrics. However, she noted that the Wildcats’ upcoming Nov. 7 matchup against Tennessee could be crucial, especially after the Volunteers defeated Alabama, the only team to beat Kentucky this season.
Kentucky’s playoff hopes are growing
With multiple analysts projecting Kentucky into the playoff field, Stein’s first season is quickly becoming something special for Big Blue Nation.
The Wildcats still have challenging games ahead, and improving offensive consistency will be important as they pursue a potential SEC Championship and College Football Playoff berth.
Nobody expected Kentucky to be 6-1 this early in Stein’s tenure. Now, the Wildcats have put themselves in position to compete for something much bigger than bowl eligibility.
If Kentucky continues winning, its historic start could become an even more memorable season.
