Kentucky opens at No. 23 in Coaches Poll to begin season

No. 23 in the AP Poll, No. 23 in the USA Today Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll. That’s where Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats will start entering the 2024-25 season.

The AP Poll was announced earlier this month, and now, we’ve got the first edition of the Coaches Poll, giving the Cats a consensus top-25 ranking with official games now less than two weeks away.

It’s the 59th time Kentucky has been included in the preseason coaches’ poll dating back to the inaugural poll in 1950. The Cats have made 955 total appearances in the rankings, now in their 75th season of existence.

Like the AP, Kansas enters the year ranked No. 1, followed by Alabama at No. 2, UConn at No. 3, Houston at No. 4 and Duke at No. 5. From there, Iowa State comes in at No. 6 with Gonzaga at No. 7, Baylor at No. 8, Arizona at No. 9 and North Carolina at No. 10 to round out the top 10.

Top 25 Coaches’ Poll opponents on Kentucky’s schedule this year include Alabama (No. 2), Gonzaga (No. 7), Auburn (No. 11), Tennessee (No. 12), Texas A&M (No. 15), Arkansas (No. 16), Texas (No. 19), Florida (No. 21) and Ole Miss (No. 25). Clemson, Ohio State and Mississippi State are receiving votes.  

The nine SEC schools represented in the poll are the most of any conference.  

The full preseason rankings are available via USA Today.

What do you think, BBN? Fair or foul?