AP Top 25 college football poll unkind to Kentucky. See how the Cats stack up nationally.

Herald-Leader Staff Report

Updated September 2, 2024 8:33 AM

2024 College Football Preview

The Lexington Herald-Leader has been previewing the 2024 college football season throughout August. Click below to view all the stories that have been published on Kentucky.com.

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Mark Stoops’ 12^th University of Kentucky team has work to do to move up the college football respect ladder in 2024.

The Wildcats were not ranked Monday in the annual Associated Press preseason Top 25, one week after also missing out in the coaches’ poll.

At this point in the year, polls serve only as mechanisms for debate. The lone ranking with teeth will come out in December, which will lock in pairings for the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

Kentucky, coming off a 7-6 season in 2023, have three months to change voters’ minds before that moment arrives. The proving begins Aug. 31 when the Wildcats host Southern Mississippi to open the 2024 season at Kroger Field.

UK was among 17 teams beyond the Top 25 “also receiving votes” in Monday’s AP poll. Kentucky received three points to come in 40^th overall.

Southeastern Conference teams claimed four of the top 10 spots and nine of the top 20, including No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Missouri, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 20 Texas A&M.

Mark Stoops’ Kentucky Wildcats are coming off back-to-back 7-6 seasons. Matthew Mueller

Kentucky will play Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas this season.

The Big Ten followed the SEC with six teams in the Top 25 — No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 8 Penn State, No. 9 Michigan, No. 23 USC and No. 25 Iowa.

Next came the Big 12 with five — No. 12 Utah, No. 17 Oklahoma State, No. 18 Kansas State, No. 21 Arizona and No. 22 Kansas.

The Atlantic Coast Conference placed four in the Top 25 — No. 10 Florida State, No. 14 Clemson, No. 19 Miami and No. 24 North Carolina State.

No. 7 Notre Dame, a football independent, completed the Top 25.

Louisville topped the “also receiving votes” list with 111 points, placing it ahead of Virginia Tech 77, Boise State 47, SMU 33, Iowa State 33, Liberty 32, Washington 23, West Virginia 17, Memphis 16, Nebraska 16, Wisconsin 15, UTSA 6, Tulane 5, Appalachian State 4, Kentucky 3, Auburn 2 and Colorado 1.

U of L opens its season Aug. 31 at home against Austin Peay. The Cardinals face Top 25 teams Notre Dame, Miami and Clemson in 2024 before closing the regular season at Kentucky.