Kentucky plays three teams in top 25 of coaches' poll

If you believe in college football polls, Kentucky will have a slightly easier time in Coach Mark Stoops' second season than it faced a year ago.

USA Today released its college football preseason coaches' poll for 2014 on Thursday, and the Top 25 includes three opponents on Kentucky's schedule for this season.

The Wildcats will host No. 9 South Carolina on Oct. 4, visit No. 13 LSU on Oct. 18 and play No. 12 Georgia on UK's Senior Day on Nov. 8.

Last season, the Wildcats faced five teams in the preseason coaches' poll — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisville and South Carolina — all of whom were ranked in the top 10.

That's not to say Kentucky's 2014 schedule isn't plenty tough. Four schools received mention from the coaches in the poll's "Others Receiving Votes" segment.

Missouri and Florida just missed the Top 25 as Nos. 26 and 27. Mississippi State is No. 29. Louisville is No. 36.

Defending national champion Florida State received 56 of a possible 62 first-place votes to claim the No. 1 spot in the preseason poll.

Three Southeastern Conference teams made the top 10 in No. 2 Alabama, No. 5 Auburn and No. 9 South Carolina.

This story was originally published July 31, 2014 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Kentucky plays three teams in top 25 of coaches' poll."