There is a role Kentucky football can play in this disappointing 2024 season

If everyone has a role to play, then Kentucky football’s role moving forward is that of playing spoiler.

Mark Stoops’ Cats are 3-5 overall, including 1-5 in the SEC. They’ve lost three straight games. Their offense hasn’t scored more than 20 points in a conference game all season. To reach the six-win requirement for bowl availability, they’d need to win three of their last four. Based on past performance, that’s a tall ask.

They’re also facing a double-edged sword. Three of the four teams left on Kentucky’s schedule have plenty to play for. Two are legitimate contenders for the 12-team College Football Playoff. Set aside FCS opponent Murray State, who comes to Kroger Field on Nov. 19. UK visits No. 7-ranked Tennessee this Saturday. It travels to No. 6 Texas on Nov. 23. Then archrival Louisville brings a chip on its shoulder to Kroger Field on Nov. 30.

Let’s take a closer look.

Tennessee: Coach Josh Heupel’s Vols are 6-1 and have had two weeks to bask in the glow of their 24-17 victory over Alabama on Oct. 19. The lone blemish on the Tennessee resume is a 19-14 loss at Arkansas on Oct. 5.

Heupel’s offense hasn’t hummed as well as previous years, but Tennessee’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 19 points in a game all season. Plus, the Vols ambushed Stoops and Co. 44-6 on UK’s last trip to Rocky Top.

Tennessee’s biggest test comes Nov. 16 at Georgia. Beating the Bulldogs all but clinches UT a spot in the CFP field, if not a spot in the SEC Championship Game. If the Georgia game was next week, maybe Tennessee overlooks Kentucky. Alas, it’s not. Still, if Stoops’ squad could find a way to pull off the upset, spoiling the postseason aspirations of its border rival would be sweet, indeed.

Texas: Coach Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns are also 6-1. Their lone resume stain is a 30-15 home loss to Georgia in which Texas all but self-destructed in the first half. The ‘Horns have beaten defending national champ Michigan in Ann Arbor and took apart a subpar Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. Texas outlasted Vanderbilt in Nashville 27-24 last week.

The game to circle on Texas’ remaining schedule is the regular season finale. Before then, Florida A&M visits Austin this Saturday. The Longhorns then visit Arkansas, who, as mentioned earlier, did beat Tennessee. The week after Kentucky plays at DKR Stadium — that’s Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium — Texas plays at Texas A&M on Nov. 30. As it stands now, A&M is the only SEC team unbeaten in conference play.

Maybe the Cats can catch the ‘Horns peeking ahead. A Kentucky win deep in the heart of Texas would certainly be unexpected, but certainly satisfying for a team that to this point has had a disappointing season.

Louisville: At 5-3 overall, including 3-2 in the ACC, Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals aren’t in the CFP hunt and are a long shot to make their conference title game for a second straight year. Louisville is at Clemson this Saturday and has currently unbeaten Pittsburgh at L&N Stadium the week before the Cards come to Kroger Field.

Here’s the thing: Louisville has lost five straight to Kentucky. The Cards last claimed the Governor’s Cup in 2017 when Bobby Petrino was throwing temper tantrums on the U of L sideline. His successor, Scott Satterfield, went 0-3 versus UK. That’s one reason Satterfield is now at Cincinnati. Brohm is 0-1. His then No. 9-ranked Cards lost to the visiting Cats 38-31 a year ago.

Should Kentucky keep the in-state win streak alive, well, that would take some sting out of the season. Especially if the Cats end up falling short of a bowl game, thus ending their own eight-year streak.

And before you assume Kentucky won’t be up to the task in any of these three games, remember September, when UK lost to then No. 1-ranked Georgia by one point (13-12) and surprised then No. 6-ranked Ole Miss (20-17) in Oxford. Believe it or not, these Cats are capable.

This story was originally published October 29, 2024 at 7:00 AM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

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John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription