Kentucky football bumped up to No. 6 in ESPN's updated power rankings

Saturday’s win sure wasn’t perfect, but Kentucky football continues to stake its claim as one of the top programs in the country.

On Sunday morning, ESPN updated its weekly college football power rankings. Kentucky, which came into the weekend No. 7 according to the website’s Week 3 power rankings, actually received a one-spot bump to No. 6 following Week 4 action across the country. UK snuck out of Kroger Field with a 31-23 victory over Northern Illinois despite offensive line issues creeping back to the forefront once again.

Here’s what ESPN’s Alex Scarborough had to say about the ‘Cats.

After beating Youngstown State, 31-0, last week, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said the offense needed to play better around quarterback Will Levis. But judging by Saturday’s 31-23 win over Northern Illinois, there’s still room for improvement. The offensive line wasn’t especially sharp, and the running game wasn’t terribly effective, generating 103 yards on 34 carries. Levis threw four touchdowns, and the defense played well, but the Wildcats will need more, starting with next Saturday’s trip to No. 16 Ole Miss.

Alex Scarborough, ESPN

Honestly, it’s quite impressive that Kentucky could play as poorly as it did on Saturday and still move up in any sort of poll or power rankings. There are clearly areas that still need adjustments, but a 4-0 start is still a 4-0 start. UK will likely remain a top 10 team in both the AP and Coaches Polls once those are released later on Sunday.

Looking at ESPN’s updated Football Power Index (FPI) numbers, Kentucky once again took a slide, falling four spots to No. 30. The FPI also adjusted UK’s projected win-loss record — the expected win total following Week 3 was 8.3, but that number has dipped to 8.0 after Week 4 action. The FPI numbers currently give the ‘Cats a 98.5 percent chance to reach the six wins threshold and a 2.5 percent chance to win the SEC East.

ESPN Week 3 Power Rankings

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Kentucky
7. Tennessee
8. USC
9. Oklahoma State
10. NC State
11. Oregon
12. Penn State
13. Ole Miss
14. Washington
15. Utah
16. Baylor
17. Texas A&M
18. Arkansas
19. Florida State
20. Minnesota
21. Oklahoma
22. Wake Forest
23. BYU
24. Kansas
25. Kansas State