KSR Today: Louisville Week, Bowl Prep, Sprint to NSD

Mondays are just better after big Kentucky Basketball wins. Add in the fact that Christmas is just one week away and in between now and then, the Cats face a Louisville team on the brink of collapse, and today almost feels like a Wednesday — maybe Thursday if you’ve got time off coming up.

That’s just the basketball side of things. On the football front, the team continues to prepare for the Gator Bowl, the transfer portal keeps whirring, and on Wednesday, most of the program’s 2024 commits will make their pledges official. Christmas may be coming up, but our heads are still on a swivel at the KSR headquarters.

Put your Ls down and let’s get into today’s rundown.

Where will Kentucky land in the AP & Coaches Polls?

Kentucky’s 87-83 win over North Carolina was impressive. As we’ve discussed ad nauseam since the buzzer sounded, the No. 14 Wildcats — one of the youngest teams in college basketball — showed more poise than the No. 9 Tar Heels — one of the oldest squads.

How far will Kentucky jump in the polls following the win? We’ll find out today around 1 p.m. ET. Several teams ahead of the Cats in the rankings — No. 13 Clemson, No. 6 Baylor, No. 8 Creighton — all lost to unranked opponents, so moving into the Top 10 isn’t out of the question.

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John Calipari Call-In Show

Kentucky’s pre-Louisville media opportunity won’t take place until Wednesday; however, tonight, we’ll get to hear from John Calipari (and/or one of his assistants) on his weekly call-in show. Tune in to 630 WLAP or UK Sports Network affiliates at 6 p.m. ET to hear what Cal thinks about the win over North Carolina after a day of reflection.

I hope someone calls to ask about his big Sunday at Costco:

How did you celebrate Kentucky’s big win over North Carolina? John Calipari went bargain hunting 😂

📸: Ellen Calipari/IG pic.twitter.com/2xDodZ1bFG

— KSR (@KSRonX) December 17, 2023

Louisville won its tune-up game

Things don’t look good for Kenny Payne and Louisville heading into Thursday’s game vs. Kentucky, but the Cardinals did get a win on Sunday, beating Pepperdine 85-63. Don’t let that final score deceive you; Pepperdine is ranked No. 216 in KenPom and was the weakest team left on Louisville’s schedule. The Cardinals now have five wins, one more than last season’s total.

After the win, Kenny Payne told reporters he has not discussed his future as head coach with Louisville athletic director Josh Heird; however, when players were asked the same question, they declined to comment. Rumors are flying around the program, but for now, it appears the Cards will keep Kenny on through at least Thursday. Making matters a little more interesting is the fact that five-star wing Karter Knox, the younger brother of Kevin Knox who is also considering Kentucky, was on Louisville’s campus this weekend for an official visit.

Time to send Kenny out and then welcome him back to Lexington with open arms next season.

We’ll hear from Liam Coen after bowl practice

There’s plenty of football to keep us busy between now and Thursday. The Cats are back on the practice field today to prepare for the Gator Bowl. Liam Coen and members of the Kentucky offense will chat with reporters around lunchtime, so check the site and YouTube Channel this afternoon to see what they’re saying about the matchup vs. Clemson.

National Signing Day is Wednesday; Transfer Portal Rumblings

The transfer portal has hogged a lot of the spotlight this month, but the craziest day of the year is almost here. The early signing period for football begins Wednesday and runs through Friday. Several of Kentucky’s 2024 commitments plan to make their pledges official during that time, and the work to add more or keep some on board is not over. However much caffeine you think Mark Stoops, Vince Marrow, and the staff will consume this week, triple it.

Then there’s the transfer portal. Yesterday, we found out that Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, a former All-American, visited Kentucky this weekend, along with Florida IOL Jalen Farmer. Kentucky could always use players like that, especially now that Trevin Wallace is headed to the NFL Draft.

Nick Roush updated the latest movements in KSR’s Transfer Portal Tracker last night. He and Adam Luckett will be sharing all the new developments on the site and rumblings from behind the scenes on KSBoard. Take advantage of the KSR+ SIGNING DAY SALE to stay in the loop. 50% off the annual price or $1 for 1 month.

The KSR Football Podcast previews NSD at 8 p.m.

Tonight, Roush, Luckett, and Freddie Maggard will gather in the virtual podcast lab to preview National Signing Day and discuss the latest happenings in the portal while Drew Franklin enjoys some vacation time. Check the YouTube Channel around 8 p.m. to hear their takes on the state of Kentucky’s 2024 class. If you subscribe, you’ll get a notification the exact moment they go live.

KSBoard members can submit their questions for the guys to answer. Yet another reason to take advantage of that Signing Day Sale…

Watch WKU’s bowl game at KSBar and help Billy win money

Billy Rutledge needs your help. The beloved KSR Preshow co-host and KSR producer has been tasked with getting 30 paying customers to KSBar and Grille on a Monday afternoon to watch Western Kentucky play Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl. If he does, Matt Jones will give him $200.

If that sounds like something you’re interested in — or you just want to chip in on Billy’s marriage fund — please join him and his fellow Hilltoppers at 2:30 p.m. Your boss will totally understand.