Mark Stoops explains what it means for Kentucky to be ranked in top ten

Mark Stoops has no intention of backing down from his statement that Kentucky is also a football school. His argument has gained more momentum after his Wildcats jumped into the AP Top-10 after defeating SEC East rival, the Florida Gators, on Saturday. This is the first time that Kentucky is ranked in the top 10 since 2007, and Stoops explained just what it means for Kentucky to be ranked this high.

“You know, I’m grateful. I can’t control any of that,” said Stoops. “I’m grateful for our team and the preparation in the way we played. I guess if outsiders respect the way we play, then I credit the players for the way they prepared and the way they did their job. So that’s what I appreciate; our team, players, and coaches, and what they did to put themselves in that position.

After upsetting the Gators last year at home, the Wildcats had to travel to the swamp to face them this season again as the lower-ranked team. Florida leapfrogged Kentucky in the standings after knocking off the then number seven team in the nation, the Utah Utes. And after Saturday’s matchup, it’s clear to see that the voters got it wrong, putting the Gators at No.12 and Kentucky at No. 20.

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The game was close in the first half, with Florida taking a 16-13 lead into the half. But in the second half, it was a whole different story as the Wildcats’ defense locked in, shutting out the Gators for the rest of the game. The defense added a pick-six late in the third quarter by Keidron Smith to go along with two field goals to win the game 26-16.

Stoops might not be too worried about outsiders’ perspectives now. Still, if Kentucky keeps winning, those outsiders will be critical to the Wildcats making it into the College Football Playoff. Recent history has shown the committee is not opposed to having two teams from the same conference in the playoffs.
If Kentucky finishes the season undefeated, winning the SEC title, they will be a shoo-in for the postseason tournament. But if they have a stumble along the way but finish with only one loss, that will give voters something to think about. And if Stoops want to complete this mission of transitioning Kentucky from the view of being strictly a basketball school into also being a football school, then he will have to make sure he has the outsiders thinking the same way that people inside of his program think; that Kentucky is the best program in the SEC.