Kentucky cracks top 25 in ESPN's updated SP+ preseason rankings

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ksr-predictions-sec-football-order-of-finish-sec-standings-kentucky-football — (Dale Zanine | USA Today)

Football season is right around the corner. How do we know that? We’ve reached top 25 week across the country. Numerous outlets are releasing preseason top 25s. We’ve got the traditional polls, rankings at KSR+, and now we have some power ratings rolling out at ESPN.

Bill Connelly is the creator of the SP+ which is a predictive ranking that considers three primary factors: returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history.

“SP+ is a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking, and, along those same lines, these projections aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the year,” writes Connelly. “These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.”

Last year, Kentucky finished No. 28 overall for the program’s third top-30 finish in five years. The algorithm is calling for UK to be a top-25 team this season.

Top 10

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SP+ Top 25

Georgia (29.2 rating)
Ohio State (29.0)
Michigan (28.6)
Alabama (28.1)
LSU (23.3)
Penn State (23.2)
Clemson (22.9)
Tennessee (22.4)
Texas (22.2)
USC (20.9)
Notre Dame (19.9)
Florida State (19.1)
Oregon (19.0)
Utah (18.8)
Oklahoma (18.8)
Texas A&M (18.5)
Washington (17.2)
Ole Miss (17.1)
Wisconsin (16.1)
Kansas State (14.5)
TCU (14.5)
Iowa (14.0)
Florida (13.7)
Kentucky (13.4)
North Carolina (12.9)

Defense leads the way

Last season, Kentucky finished No. 4 on defense per SP+. The numbers are calling for a similar finish in 2023.

Offense: No. 61
Defense: No. 6
Strength of Schedule: No. 13
Projected record: 7.2-4.8 (3.7-4.3)

Once again, defensive coordinator Brad White could have one of the best defenses in the SEC and college football. The numbers are calling for an improved offense (No. 97 in 2022), but the computer’s expectations aren’t super high. With eight top-40 opponents on the schedule, UK has a legitimate top-15 schedule.

SP+ believes the Cats are a top-25 football team. If Kentucky can find a way to win some close games and overachieve on offense, a big season could be coming to Lexington.