Consecutive Football, Basketball Losses Becoming a November Tradition

Last night, the Big Blue Nation turned on ESPN in hopes of seeing No. 4 Kentucky beat Michigan State in the Champions Classic. The game took place in the same building as the first-round loss to Saint Peter’s in March, providing the perfect opportunity to turn the page from that awful night. Dick Vitale was courtside, the Cats were sporting beautiful brand-new uniforms, Oscar Tshiebwe was BACK, and the nation was watching. Instead of a cathartic victory, Kentucky stumbled its way to defeat, with late-game mistakes and stalled offense triggering the worst kind of deja vu.

The basketball team’s 86-77 double-overtime loss to the Spartans came just three days after the football team’s 24-21 loss to Vanderbilt, arguably the worst defeat of the Mark Stoops Era. Does DJ Wagner‘s commitment on Monday save the BBN from true depression? Given the manner in which both teams lost, I lean no.

Turns out we’ve had a lot of sad November weeks lately. The losses to Vanderbilt and Michigan State make this the sixth year in a row Kentucky has had consecutive football and basketball losses, most of them coming in depressing fashion. Let’s run through the list.

2022

• Nov. 12: 24-21 loss to Vanderbilt (Football)
• Nov. 15: 86-77 2OT loss to Michigan State (Basketball)

We just covered both of these. Both teams made crucial errors down the stretch, leading to unexpected defeats.

2021

• Nov. 6: 45-42 loss vs. Tennessee (Football)
• Nov. 9: 79-71 loss vs. No. 9 Duke (Basketball)

Last year, the football Cats lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee at home, with Hendon Hooker scoring four touchdowns. It was the third-straight loss for the No. 18 Wildcats. Three days later, the basketball Cats — coming off a 9-16 season — lost the season opener vs. Duke to tip off Coach K’s retirement tour. Losing to a top-ten team isn’t that shocking, but man, that one felt gross.

2020

• Nov. 28: 34-10 loss at No. 6 Florida (Football)
• Nov. 29: 76-64 loss vs. Richmond (Basketball)

One day after the football team’s 34-10 loss in the Swamp, the No. 10 basketball Cats lost to Richmond — Richmond! — in Rupp Arena. It was the start of a six-game losing streak for that Kentucky team, which finished the season 9-16.

2019

• Nov. 9: 17-13 loss to Tennessee (Football)
• Nov. 12: 67-64 loss to Evansville (Basketball)

Kentucky had a 13-0 lead on Tennessee in the first quarter, but Jarrett Guarantano threw two third-quarter touchdowns to give the Vols a 17-13 lead heading into the fourth. Lynn Bowden’s end-of-game heroics were cut short by a Tennessee goal-line stand. Three days later, Evansville stunned No. 1 Kentucky at Rupp Arena, the Purple Aces pulling off a 67-64 upset.

2018

• Nov. 3: 34-17 loss vs. No. 6 Georgia (Football)
• Nov. 6: 118-84 loss to No. 4 Duke (Basketball)
• Nov. 10: 24-7 loss at Tennessee (Football)

The beginning of November 2018 was especially cruel to Kentucky fans. The football team entered Georgia Week 7-1 and ranked No. 9 in the country with hopes of seizing the SEC East. Instead, they lost to the No. 6 Bulldogs 34-17. The Tuesday after, the No. 2 basketball team went to Indy to make a statement vs. Zion Williamson and the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils. Instead, they got drummed 118-84. Four days later, the football team lost at unranked Tennessee 24-7. If we’re ranking bad weeks for BBN, this one is up there.

2017

• Nov. 14: 65-61 loss to No. 4 Kansas (Basketball)
• Nov. 18: 42-13 loss at No. 7 Georgia (Football)

This bad week started with the No. 7 basketball team losing to No. 4 Kansas in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis thanks to some key free throws from Malik Newman. The following Saturday, the football team lost to No. 7 Georgia 42-13 in Athens. The Saturday after that, the Cats lost to Louisville 44-17 at Kroger Field.

What lies ahead…

Where do both teams go from here? Three straight games vs. Bulldogs, a fun fact I’m throwing in for some levity.

• Nov. 17: South Carolina State (Basketball)
• Nov. 19: No. 1 Georgia (Football)
• Nov. 20: No. 2 Gonzaga (Basketball)
• Nov. 23: North Florida (Basketball)
• Nov. 26: Louisville (Football)

The good news is, South Carolina State should be an easy rebound game. The Bulldogs rank No. 347 in KenPom. The anxiety-inducing news is that a few days later, Kentucky plays Gonzaga in Spokane. There’s no shame in losing to the No. 2 Bulldogs, but do you feel better or worse about it after last night’s loss?

On the football front, Kentucky hosts No. 1 Georgia Saturday at Kroger Field, a game that everyone had circled on their calendars to start the season and now almost certainly feels like a loss. One week later is the regular-season finale vs. Louisville. Even a month ago, this game felt like it would be a romp, Kentucky’s fourth straight in the series. Now, with the Cats flailing and the Cards riding a little momentum? Pass the Tums.