Ten ways Mark Stoops and troops can make positive Kentucky football history in 2022
In the big picture, Mark Stoops’ grand achievement so far as Kentucky Wildcats football coach has been to elevate the Cats program from Southeastern Conference bottom dweller to a respectable, mid-tier SEC program.
Since UK began what is currently a six-year bowl streak in 2016, the Cats are tied for sixth among SEC football programs in total wins: 1. Alabama 78, 2. Georgia 66, 3. LSU 53, 4. Texas A&M 49, 5. Florida 48, 6. Auburn, Kentucky 47.
Over the same time frame, Kentucky stands seventh in victories vs. SEC foes: 1. Alabama 46, 2. Georgia 40, 3. LSU 32, 4. Florida 30, 5. Texas A&M, Auburn 29; 7. Kentucky 25.
Naturally, UK backers are hungry for more.
In the week in which Stoops will unveil the 2022 Cats in Saturday’s Blue-White Game, here are 10 ways in which Kentucky football can make additional breakthroughs this fall:
Target of opportunity one: Beat Florida in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1976 (28-9) and 1977 (14-7).
The state of play: When Kentucky visits Gainesville on Sept. 10 looking to repeat last season’s 20-13 triumph over the Gators, the Cats will face a different head coach (Billy Napier replacing Dan Mullen) and starting quarterback (likely Anthony Richardson in place of the transferring Emory Jones) than they defeated last season in Lexington.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Moderate.
Target of opportunity two: Beat Tennessee in Neyland Stadium in back-to-back games for the first time since 1962 (12-10) and 1964 (12-7).
The state of play: In Knoxville in 2020, Kentucky began the unraveling of Jeremy Pruitt’s coaching regime with a 34-7 silencing of the Rocky Toppers.
After an uncharacteristically bad performance by the UK defense in last season’s 45-42 shootout loss to UT in Lexington, the Kentucky “D” will seek to get its swag back against Josh Heupel’s up-tempo attack.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Moderate.
Target of opportunity three: Beat Louisville for a fourth straight game for only the second time (2007 through 2010) in the modern Governor’s Cup rivalry.
The state of play: Complete domination of U of L at the line of scrimmage has allowed UK to blast the Cardinals by a combined 153-44 in the past three meetings.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Good.
Target of opportunity four: Beat Florida, Louisville and Tennessee in the same season for the first time ever.
The state of play: With two of the three games against the teams that UK backers most yearn to beat on the road, achieving this in 2022 will be challenging.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Low.
Target of opportunity five: Beat Mississippi in Oxford for the first time since 1978 (21-17).
The state of play: Two excruciating home losses to Ole Miss — 42-41 in overtime in 2020; 37-34 in 2017 — have been two of the Stoops-era’s biggest disappointments. The Cats have also lost five straight in Oxford.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Moderate.
Target of opportunity six: Beat Georgia for the first time since 2009 (34-27 in Athens) — and the first time in Lexington since 2006 (24-20).
The state of play: Kentucky has lost 12 straight to the Bulldogs — who will come to the commonwealth as the defending national champions.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Low.
Target of opportunity seven: Win the SEC East for the first time in school history.
The state of play: Since the Southeastern Conference split into divisions in 1992, Kentucky has never finished better than second in the East. However, the Cats have been the division runner-up twice in the past four seasons (2018, 2021), so aspiring to move up another rung is an appropriate goal.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Low.
Target of opportunity eight: Coming off of last season’s 10-3 campaign, produce back-to-back, double-digit win seasons for the first time in Kentucky football history.
The state of play: Getting to (at least) 10 wins in 2022 figures to be more challenging than in 2021 if for no other reason than Kentucky trades a home game with a struggling LSU for a road trip to Ole Miss in 2022.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Moderate.
Target of opportunity nine: Coming off last season’s 5-3 SEC record, produce back-to-back winning marks in league play for the first time since 1976 (5-1) and 1977 (6-0).
The state of play: To get to at least 5-3 again, Kentucky’s most likely path involves going 3-1 at home and splitting four road games at Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri and Tennessee.
Odds of a Big Blue breakthrough: Moderate.
Target of opportunity 10: Play in a major bowl game for the first time since the Cotton Bowl that followed the 1951 season.
The state of play: As Kentucky learned in 2018 and 2021, going 9-3 in the regular season is not apt to land UK in a “New Year’s Six” bowl. It will probably take Kentucky’s first 10-win regular season since 1977 to get the Wildcats back into a major bowl for the first time since Bear Bryant was the top Cat.
Odds of Big Blue breakthrough: Low.
