Mark Stoops on Kentucky win: 'We want to play a lot of big games'

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops isn’t going to dwell on the Wildcats upset win against Florida for long. The victory signifies Kentucky’s arrival for the rest of the nation, but Stoops isn’t satisfied with just that.

He believes his team has plenty more work to do to reach its goals.

“I thank the people and the crowd and (Big Blue Nation), but for me it’s back to work tomorrow morning. I’ll celebrate it for a couple of hours. I’ve got to practice what I preach to the team and we want to take care of the things in front of us. We want to play in a lot of big games. We have a long way to go. I’m very excited and proud of this group, but we’ve got to go back and punch the clock tomorrow.”

The Wildcats held on for a 20-13 home victory against the No. 10 Gators thanks to a late pass deflection from linebacker Jacquez Jones. The play caused a turnover on downs and gave the ball back to Kentucky with 18 seconds left.

The victory marked the first time Kentucky has beaten Florida in Lexington since 1986. It is only the third time the Wildcats have won against the Gators overall during that span.

Kentucky entered this game unranked despite a 4-0 record but is sure to enter the top 25 in the upcoming week. With that label is likely to come a bigger target, but Stoops and the team are ready.

If they can beat LSU next week, they will match their SEC win total of four games from this past season. Following that No. 2 Georgia, which boasts the toughest defense in the country, awaits on the road.

The Wildcats look much improved thanks to the addition of multiple transfer players this offseason. That includes Jones, who joined the team from Ole Miss.

Penn State transfer Will Levis has steadied the offense all season as the starting quarterback. He struggled against the Florida defense, throwing for only 87 yards and a touchdown. His lone score went to another transfer, Nebraska’s Wan’Dale Robinson.

Before this week, Arkansas was the surprise team in the SEC, but the Wildcats are making a case to be in the discussion as well. The Hogs fell at Georgia this week, while Mark Stoops and Kentucky continue to win. It’s back to work now, however, as they still have plenty more to prove.