Kentucky football No. 18 in ESPN's updated FPI after Week 0

When Kentucky football kicks off the 2022 schedule next weekend, they’ll do so with plenty of preseason hype.

Mark Stoops’ program is ranked among the Top 25 in both the Associated Press and the Coaches Poll while holding down the No. 11 spot in ESPN’s final SP+ projections. Kentucky is also expected to finish second in the SEC East behind Georgia. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the ‘Cats will enter Week 1 ranked No. 18 in the country.

Kentucky will begin the season on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. on the SEC Network+ against Miami (OH).

ESPN’s FPI projects that Kentucky will finish with an average win-loss record of 8.1-3.9 and a 96.7 percent chance to reach the six-win threshold. The ‘Cats have a 5.3 percent chance to win the East and a 0.8 percent chance to both win the entire SEC and make the College Football Playoff.

The FPI also ranks the strength of schedule for every Division I team. Kentucky’s schedule comes in as the 29th toughest in the country ahead of Week 1.

Looking at the FPI rankings, Kentucky is one of 10 SEC teams among the Top 25. The ‘Cats are ahead of Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Arkansas. North Carolina was the only Top 25 FPI team to fall in the rankings, going from No. 19 to No. 30 despite beating Florida A&M 56-24 in Week 0.

ESPN Week 1 FPI Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Notre Dame
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Oklahoma
9. Miami (FL)
10. LSU
11. Auburn
12. Texas A&M
13. Utah
14. Oklahoma State
15. Michigan State
16. Penn State
17. Ole Miss
18. Kentucky
19. Pittsburgh
20. Wisconsin
21. Baylor
22. Oregon
23. Mississippi State
24. Tennessee
25. Arkansas