UK football not in the coaches’ top 25, but there’s still something to brag about
The University of Kentucky football team isn’t ranked in the top 25 of the first coaches’ poll of the 2020 season, but it still made some minor history.
Clemson was ranked No. 1 in the Amway/USA Today preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday. The Tigers were one of four teams that received first-place votes. Rounding out the top five were Ohio State (17 FPV), Alabama (four FPV), Georgia and LSU (six FPV).
UK finished with 73 total points, placing it in the “others receiving votes” category and a No. 29 overall placement among all teams. That is the program’s highest preseason ranking in the coaches’ poll during the tenure of head coach Mark Stoops, who took the reins in 2013. It is also the team’s highest preseason ranking in the coaches’ poll since at least the 1992 season, when USA Today took over its publication.
Kentucky actually received more total points in last year’s preseason coaches poll (79) but was ranked 31st overall before the season got underway. The Wildcats were last ranked in the coaches’ top 25 in 2018, coming in at No. 11 in the final ranking following the completion of the 2018 season.
Six Southeastern Conference teams were ranked in the top 25. Alabama, Georgia and LSU were joined by Florida (No. 8), Auburn (No. 11) and Texas A&M (No. 13). Tennessee was the first team outside of the top 25; counting the Volunteers, four of those six teams are currently on Kentucky’s schedule. The SEC is expected to retain teams’ current eight 2020 opponents as part of its revised scheduling model but has not yet announced the two additional opponents across the league.
Louisville, which finished with 62 points, ranked 33rd overall. Mississippi State (nine points) was the only other SEC team that received votes.
This story was originally published August 6, 2020 at 3:47 PM.
