KSR Today: Kentucky keeps opening early Christmas gifts

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, Big Blue Nation. We are just two nights away from the big man in a red suit flying nine magical reindeer across the world, delivering gifts to everyone who is not found on his naughty list. (Sorry, Rick Pitino; your name is written in permanent ink on that one.) However, after the epic beatdown the ‘Cats put on Louisville on Thursday, Santa should strongly consider donning a blue suit, at least for the time he is in Kentucky.

Rudolph might want to see if he can adjust the hue in his nose to blue while they’re at it.

Christmas came early for Kentucky fans as they received the best gift of them all, a dominating victory over Louisville, and we are all still talking about it. In fact, the early gifts seem to have been coming in droves for the ‘Cats.

Let’s go through them:

Did I mention Kentucky beat Louisville?

It has been a present Kentucky fans have received quite a bit over the years, but it is one that never gets old. The Wildcats surged to a twenty-point halftime lead before Calipari pulled back the reindeer reins and coasted the team to a soft landing on a rooftop, in an effort to help his friend keep his job.

News broke on Friday that this might have worked. Kenny Payne will keep his job at least through the end of the year, ending all speculation that Louisville would fire their head coach within 24 hours of the handshake line.

When will the Payne end?

Kenny’s departure still feels like an inevitable outcome in the not-do-distant future, but stranger things have happened within that program, so who knows what the next chapter of ‘Card Catastrophe will bring?

• Watch the highlights (again, and again, and again)
• 4-point play: There’s nothing like a win over Louisville
• KSR’s Rapid Reaction straight from the YUM! Center
• Hear Jack and Shawn talk all about it on the most recent episode of Sources Say

The sights and sounds of the Big Blue takeover of the Yum! Center

KSR’s videographer, Steven Peake, has put together another moving picture masterpiece, this time in the form of a Kentucky win over Louisville. See just how much blue got in, and wallow in the hilarity of Louisville fans still throwing Ls up with paper bags on their heads. This is my kind of holiday gift.

This picture of Rob Dillingham is awesome

Shout out to Dr. Michael Huang for gift-wrapping this incredible action shot of Rob Dillingham’s exclamation point windmill dunk to cap off Kentucky’s win over Louisville. It is pure perfection. No extra news here; just another chance to take this one in. If I were Rob Dillingham, this would be my forever profile picture.

Billy Richmond commits to Kentucky

Here is another reminder that Kentucky got one of their early presents wrapped in four-star wrapping paper. Billy Richmond announced his commitment to Kentucky as a pre-game celebration before the Louisville game on Thursday. The highly-ranked wing became the fifth member of Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class, picking the Cats over Memphis, LSU, and Alabama.

“The reason I chose Kentucky is because it felt like this is where I need to be,” Richmond told On3’s Joe Tipton. “Felt like home basically. Great coaching staff, a lot of family ties which made it comfortable and confident for me to pick Kentucky, and just Cal always keeping it real with me.”

JJ Weaver is coming back!

Early Christmas gifts were not reserved only for basketball. Mark Stoops and company opened a nice little prize when defensive captain, JJ Weaver, announced he would return to Lexington for his sixth and final year of eligibility. With a redshirt year and a Covid year, Weaver will play at Kentucky for the same number of years as the fingers he has on his right hand.

Weaver will provide a tremendous veteran presence at linebacker for the Wildcats in 2024.

Hey JJ Weaver, how many years did you play at Kentucky? pic.twitter.com/9F08Cyk8Wk

— Adam Stratton (@AdamStrattonKSR) December 21, 2023

Kentucky releases Gator Bowl depth chart

Seeing Ray Davis atop the running back depth chart is a wonderful thing. He and several other departing players are likely only suiting up for the Gator Bowl because they drew Clemson as an opponent and want to show the world that this program can beat the National Champions of only a few years ago.

Will Levis is listed as questionable for tomorrow

Normally, we wouldn’t consider an injury to a Wildcat, past or present, a gift, but in this case, we most certainly will do exactly that. Just five days after nearly being mangled like a pretzel, Levis was back on the practice field with his teammates.

The Titans officially listed him as questionable in Tennessee’s Christmas Eve matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in Nashville, but the fact Levis’s season didn’t immediately after the aforementioned vicious sack is a Christmas miracle.

Chalk up one to Kentucky’s ankle guy.

The College Football Bowl Slate

One of the best parts about this time of year is that your brain will occasionally remind you that college football season isn’t over. While some of these games aren’t exactly life-changing, they make for great little stocking stuffers. KSR’s Adam Luckett broke down all the upcoming bowl games happening before Kentucky takes on Clemson in Taxslayer Gator Bowl less than one week from now.

Camellia Bowl	Arkansas State (6-6) vs. Northern Illinois (6-6)	Noon ET (Saturday)	ESPN
Birmingham Bowl	Troy (11-2) vs. Duke (7-5)	Noon ET (Saturday)	ABC
Armed Forces Bowl	James Madison (11-1) vs. Air Force (8-4)	3:30pm ET (Saturday)	ABC
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Georgia State (6-6) vs. Utah State (6-6)	3:30pm ET (Saturday)	ESPN
68 Ventures Bowl	South Alabama (6-6) vs. Eastern Michigan (6-6)	7:00pm ET (Saturday)	ESPN
Las Vegas Bowl	Utah (8-4) vs. Northwestern (7-5)	7:30pm ET (Saturday)	ABC
Hawai’i Bowl	Coastal Carolina (7-5) vs. San Jose State (7-5)	10:30pm ET (Saturday)	ESPN
Quick Lane Bowl	Bowling Green (7-5) vs. Minnesota (5-7)	2:00pm ET (Tuesday)	ESPN
First Responder Bowl	Texas State (7-5) vs. Rice (6-6)	5:30pm ET (Tuesday)	ESPN
Guaranteed Rate Bowl	Kansas (8-4) vs. UNLV (9-4)	9:00pm ET (Tuesday)	ESPN
Military Bowl	Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Tulane (11-2)	2:00pm ET (Wednesday)	ESPN
Duke’s Mayo Bowl	North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4)	5:30pm ET (Wednesday)	ESPN
Holiday Bowl	Louisville (10-3) vs. USC (7-5)	8:00pm ET (Wednesday)	FOX
Texas Bowl	Texas A&M (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (9-4)	9:00pm ET (Wednesday)	ESPN