Mark Stoops addresses Kentucky's preseason ranking
The Kentucky Wildcats have cracked the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 1978 and just the fifth time in program history this season, coming in at No. 20 ahead of the 2022 college football season. They also landed at No. 21 in the coaches poll – a first time ever for the program.
The ranking is a long time coming for head coach Mark Stoops, who is one victory away from tying Bear Bryant as Kentucky’s all-time winningest coach in his 10th season with the program. Stoops wants to make it clear that his Wildcats are here to stay near the top of the SEC East.
“Well, I mean, I’m glad for the team and for the fanbase and all the hard work,” Stoops said. “But as you know, I mean, I’ve said this many times when we weren’t ranked – I’d rather see where we’re at at the end of the year.
“That’s still the same. I want to be ranked much higher than we are right now at the end of the season. So, it is what it is. I have no control over that stuff. I like this team, I like to focus they have. We need to do some things better, and I will challenge them to work on that. But overall, I’m like their mindset.”
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Kentucky finished last season ranked No. 15 in the final AP Top 25 following its Citrus Bowl victory over Iowa – the Wildcats’ second Citrus Bowl win in four seasons. Following last season, Stoops now has more 10-win seasons than Bear Bryant, who only had one.
1950 marked the greatest season in Kentucky football history when the Bryant-led Wildcats earned an 11-1 record that finished with a Sugar Bowl victory – which is a scenario those around the program could see repeating itself in 2022.
Kentucky football hasn’t started and finished a season ranked in the Top 25 since Bryant’s tenure in the 1940’s and 50’s. Stoops is already poised to break Bryant’s record for all-time wins at Kentucky if he can lead the Wildcats to victory at least twice in 2022. Now, with the Cats firmly in the Preseason Top 25, he’s got another streak to break if all goes according to plan.