Kentucky Football has enjoyed a successful season under first-year head coach Will Stein, as the Wildcats have started the year 7-2 overall and 5-2 in SEC play, putting themselves in College Football Playoff contention, even if they are coming off a 34-6 loss at Tennessee.
In the latest CFP rankings unveiled Tuesday night, Kentucky checked in at No. 11, a five-spot drop from last week. Being in the top 11 means the Cats would make the playoff if it began today, but there’s obviously plenty of work
left to be done.
In addition, FanDuel Sportsbook has Kentucky at +280 to make the playoff, which is tied for the 17th-best odds.
Even so, with this ranking, the Wildcats will likely make the playoff if they win out. Far, far, far easier said than done, but the path does exist, a statement few could dream of entering what’s been a special season thus far.
When Stein took over the program, not many believed he could turn things around in less than a year. Former head coach Mark Stoops had struggled to close out his tenure in Lexington, posting back-to-back 7-6 seasons in 2022 and 2023, followed by a 4-8 campaign in 2024 and a 5-7 record in 2025 before being fired.
Many fans and analysts expected Kentucky to win six games at most this season, while others predicted an even worse finish. However, Stein has exceeded those expectations.
The Wildcats have been underdogs in six of their nine games this season, with their only exceptions coming against Youngstown State, South Alabama and Vanderbilt. Despite being underdogs, Stein and Kentucky have won four of those six matchups.
Two of those victories came in dramatic fashion, with back-to-back overtime wins against South Carolina on the road and LSU at home. In both games, Kentucky went for two points to seal the victory.
Of course, the Wildcats’ two losses as underdogs came against Alabama at home and Tennessee on the road. Unfortunately for Kentucky, both games slipped away in the fourth quarter.
Now, the Wildcats have a difficult three-game stretch remaining on their schedule, with Florida at home, Missouri on the road, and Louisville at home.
Kentucky will need to win all three games in order to reach the College Football Playoff, which will be no easy task. Although Florida and Louisville have struggled this season, neither opponent can be overlooked. Missouri, meanwhile, has been especially tough to beat at home, with its only home loss coming against Texas this past week.
It will be interesting to see how Kentucky responds after its 34-6 loss to Tennessee. However, it is remarkable that Stein has the Wildcats in College Football Playoff contention during his first season, especially with many people viewing this year as a rebuilding campaign.
There is still plenty of work to be done, but Stein has already accomplished something few expected when he arrived in Lexington by giving Kentucky a legitimate opportunity to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Let’s ride.
