After a 56-34 home loss to No. 17 Tennessee, the noise surrounding Mark Stoops’ future at Kentucky has only grown louder. What once looked like a stable situation under the 13th-year head coach now appears
increasingly uncertain.
Since 2021, when Kentucky went 10-3 in a season later vacated, the Wildcats have struggled to regain their footing. The program finished 7-6 in 2022, losing its first bowl game since 2017 to Northwestern. In 2023, Kentucky again went 7-6, falling short in another bowl appearance.
The downward trend continued in 2024, when the team finished 4-8, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2015. Now, midway through 2025, Kentucky sits at 2-5 overall and winless in SEC play, with Stoops still holding his position despite increasing frustration from fans and boosters.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, questions are mounting across the college football industry about whether Stoops’ tenure could soon come to an end. The head coach owns a 69–78 career record and just one SEC win in the last two seasons. While Kentucky would owe him a $37 million buyout, Nakos notes a negotiated separation could be possible if both sides agree.
Some reports have linked Stoops to the Virginia Tech opening, but Nakos says such a move currently appears unlikely. With five games remaining, Kentucky’s on-field results and Stoops’ future will be closely watched in Lexington.
