Kentucky debuts in Top 35 of ESPN's Football Power Index Rankings

ESPN revealed its first Football Power Index rankings for the 2025 season this morning, and I’m sad to report that your University of Kentucky Wildcats are not in the Top 25; however, they’re not too far outside of it. Kentucky is No. 34 in the debut rankings, one of just three SEC teams outside the top 25 along with Mississippi State (No. 52) and Vanderbilt (No. 56).

The SEC may have taken a tiny step back last season, but the FPI forecasts a season in which it just means more. The top three teams are all from the SEC, led by Texas (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), and Alabama (No. 3). The Cats host the Longhorns on October 18 and travel to Athens to play the Bulldogs two weeks prior on October 4. Nine SEC teams are in the top 15 and 13 in the top 25.

Even though Louisville beat up Kentucky to end the 2024 season, the Cards are No. 41 in the FPI, seven spots behind the Cats. Toledo, which opens the season at Kroger Field on August 30, is No. 73, and Eastern Michigan is No. 124. Tennessee Tech plays in the FCS, so they weren’t included in the rankings.

SEC teams in ESPN’s Football Power Index

1. Texas – Oct. 18, home
2. Georgia – Oct. 4, away
3. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
10. Tennessee – Oct. 25, home
12. LSU
13. Ole Miss – Sep. 6, home
14. Auburn – Nov. 1, away
15. South Carolina – Sep. 27, away
16. Oklahoma
18. Florida – Nov. 8, home
22. Arkansas
23. Missouri
34. Kentucky
52. Mississippi State
56. Vanderbilt – Nov. 22, away

Other Kentucky opponents:

41. Louisville – Nov. 29, away
73. Toledo – Aug. 30, home
124. Eastern Michigan – Sep. 13, home

Kentucky has the 7th hardest schedule in the country

The FPI projects Kentucky’s record to be 5.6-6.4. Of course, that isn’t actually possible, but the fancy computer model gives the Cats a 50.7% chance of getting six wins. Kentucky will have to do it against one of the toughest schedules in the country. The FPI ranks Kentucky’s schedule as the seventh hardest in the FBS. Not surprisingly, all of the teams ranked ahead of Kentucky are also from the SEC: Florida, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi State.

The FPI is higher on Kentucky than another computer model, Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. Kentucky is No. 43 in the SP+ rankings, with the Cats’ offense coming in at No. 79, the defense No. 31, and the special teams No. 14. Like the FPI, only two SEC teams rank lower than Kentucky in the SP+: Vanderbilt (No. 55) and Mississippi State (No. 71). The SP+ also ranks Kentucky’s schedule as one of the toughest in the country, No. 8 in the SOS rankings.

Only 88 days until the season opener vs. Toledo.