Photo by Keyli Chisesi (Go Big Blue Country)
It’s clear that 5-1 starts and Mark Stoops are not made for each other. In Stoops five years in Lexington, the Wildcats started 5-1 in 2014 and 2017. On both occasions, game number seven was an implosion. The Wildcats suffered a 41-3 loss at LSU in 2014 and the most recent a 45-7 loss at Mississippi State.
Yesterday’s loss gave the cautiously optimistic fans even more a reason to doubt the Wildcats. Despite a 5-1 start, many fans thought it was fortunate that Kentucky wasn’t 3-3 or worse going into the bye week. I will admit, it is very concerning after watching an experienced team implode, especially when they had two weeks to prepare for a road trip to Starkville.
Through the first six games, the Wildcats best effort was in week three at South Carolina. That was the only game that you felt like Kentucky played solid football. The next best effort was in a loss vs. Florida, but coaching blunders cost the Wildcats in that one.
The Wildcats looked mediocre at best in wins vs. Southern Miss, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, and Missouri. However, those were still victories and it gave fans hope of a special season. That season can still take place but the margin for error is much thinner.
The loss to Mississippi State was bad enough, but the issue is it felt similar to the 2014 loss to LSU. The loss in Baton Rouge showed a lot of Kentucky’s flaws and it boiled over to a 5-7 finish on the season. Saturday had the same feeling, the feeling that Kentucky isn’t physical enough to compete with the best in the SEC. The Bulldogs were a physical matchup; something this group of Wildcats hadn’t seen this season.
The difference in 2014 and 2017 is the backend of this seasons schedule is more manageable. In 2014, the Wildcats final six games were at LSU, vs. #1 Mississippi State, at Missouri, vs. #17 Georgia, at Tennessee, and at #24 Louisville. Now, the Wildcats face Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt, three teams on pace to finish with a losing record.
Fans shouldn’t hit the panic button yet, but if the Wildcats drop a game to Tennessee on Saturday, it may be time to at least put a hand on the button.
