Kentucky jumps back up to No. 2 seed in ESPN's latest Bracketology update

by:Jack Pilgrim•about 11 hours

Lee Anne Pope watches a game as Mark Pope coaches at Rupp Arena - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

The sky is falling in the SEC, the high-and-mighty league once set to rule the NCAA Tournament in March taking a brutal hit in ESPN’s latest Bracketology. Instead of 13 teams previously projected to make the field, there are now only — *gasp* — 12.

That’s still an all-time record, by the way. And the school falling outside, Vanderbilt, is still the first team out while Texas is the last team in. Arkansas is included in the next four out, for those curious, while Joe Lunardi’s update earlier in the week included LSU as a team considered for the Big Dance.

Sorry about your luck, South Carolina. You’re probably screwed, if we’re being totally honest. But the other 15 at least have an outside shot to get in, which is an accomplishment in its own right and goes to show the strength of this ridiculous league.

And fortunately for us, Kentucky is among the best of the best in this ridiculous league, jumping up to a No. 2 seed in the latest update as the eighth-best team in the field. The Wildcats are among five of the top eight overall seeds with eight SEC teams making the top 20 overall seeds. That’s absolute insanity.

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Auburn leads the way, again, at No. 1 overall while Tennessee is also a No. 1 seed, followed by Kentucky, Alabama and Florida as the No. 2s, then Texas A&M as a No. 4 and Ole Miss and Mississippi State as the No. 5s. From there, Georgia (No. 7), Missouri (No. 8), Oklahoma (No. 10) and Texas (No. 11) make up the rest of the league.

Kentucky would start its journey in Milwaukee in the South Region, taking on Cleveland State (No. 15) in the opening round, followed potentially by Utah State (No. 7) in the Round of 32. Win that one and the Cats would advance to Atlanta for the second weekend, likely taking on Kansas (No. 3) in the Sweet 16, then No. 1 Auburn in the Elite Eight for a spot in the Final Four. Take a look at the potential path: