KSR Today: Mark Stoops' first comments since the Tennessee game

Good morning, friends. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the news about the election. That means a good chunk of you are very happy and a good chunk of you are very unhappy. Instead of talking about that and tearing each other apart, let’s focus on something we can all agree on, at least, for the most part: University of Kentucky sports.

Even though it’s the bye week, our focus shifts slightly towards football today. That’s where we’ll start today’s rundown.

We’ll hear from Mark Stoops three times

We haven’t heard from anyone on the football side since Saturday’s 28-18 loss to Tennessee. Today, we’ll hear from Mark Stoops not once, not twice, but THREE times.

Around lunchtime, Stoops will hop on the SEC Teleconference to discuss his team’s mindset during the bye week and look ahead to the final stretch of the season. After practice, he’ll meet with local reporters to do the same. Less than an hour later, he’ll sit down with Tom Leach at 6 p.m. ET for his call-in show. That’s a lot of talking (and therefore, probably a lot of repeated comments), but we’ll have the highlights from each for you on the site. If you just can’t wait that long, you can follow live updates on KSBoard.

Take advantage of our KSR+ Introductory Offer to get bonus coverage of the Cats, including game threads, in-depth scouting reports, and the latest recruiting and roster intel. $1 for seven days and 50% off an entire year.

11 Personnel after Stoops

After a depressing trip to Knoxville, Nick Roush and Adam Luckett vented their frustrations about the state of the program on the KSR Football Podcast. Do they feel any better about it after a few more days of reflection? Probably not, but you can find out on a new episode of 11 Personnel, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on the KSR YouTube Channel.

Now 3-6, Kentucky has to run the table to go to a bowl, which is a pretty daunting task when one of those games is at No. 5 Texas. Even next Saturday’s game vs. Murray State feels hollow given what lies ahead. Roush and Luckett will break it all down, including what could be a wild offseason, tonight.

ICYMI, the first CFP Rankings dropped last night

Sadly, it doesn’t matter for our purposes, but the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season dropped last night. The undefeated Oregon Ducks are No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, and Teas. Penn State, Tennessee, Indiana, BYU, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Boise State round out the top 12 that will compete in the newly expanded playoff. The top four seeds in the playoff must be conference champions, so based on these rankings, Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Miami (ACC), and BYU (Big 12) would receive first-round byes.

CFP Rankings – Nov. 5

Team	Record
1. Oregon	9-0
2. Ohio State	7-1
3. Georgia	7-1
4. Miami	9-0
5. Texas	7-1
6. Penn State	7-1
7. Tennessee	7-1
8. Indiana	9-0
9. BYU	8-0
10. Notre Dame	7-1
11. Alabama	6-2
12. Boise State	7-1
13. SMU	8-1
14. Texas A&M	7-2
15. LSU	6-2
16. Ole Miss	7-2
17. Iowa State	7-1
18. Pittsburgh	7-1
19. Kansas State	7-2
20. Colorado	6-2
21. Washington State	7-1
22. Louisville	6-3
23. Clemson	6-2
24. Missouri	6-2
25. Army	8-0

Need a basketball fix? Get on the KSR YouTube Channel

Too much football talk for you? Head back to the hardwood with a new episode of Sources Say, which dropped last night on the KSR YouTube Channel. Jack Pilgrim and Shawn Smith broke down Kentucky’s very fun season-opening win over Wright State, the perfect debut for Mark Pope.

Tonight, Phoenix Stevens and Katie Hutchison will discuss the women’s team’s 98-43 opening night win over USC Upstate and preview tomorrow night’s game against Northern Kentucky (6 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) on a new episode of The Memorial Memo. The mood is high in BBN after both the men’s and women’s teams started the Pope and Brooks eras in dominant fashion.

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Men’s Soccer beat Georgia State

The men’s soccer team wrapped up its regular season with a 7-4 win at Georgia State last night. That brings the Cats’ record to 5-5-6 and 4-2-3 in the Sun Belt. Senior Logan Dorsey got his second hat trick of the season and Martin Soereide, Oliver Stavdal, Iker Carew, and Agustin Lopez all notched goals of their own in the blowout win. Next up for the Cats: the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, which runs Nov. 10-17.

John Calipari makes his Arkansas debut

The Mark Pope Era is off to a fun start in Lexington. Tonight, Kentucky’s former coach will embark on his new journey in Fayetteville. John Calipari makes his debut as Arkansas’ head coach when the No. 16 Razorbacks host Lipscomb (8 p.m. ET, SEC Network+). The Bisons also come to Rupp Arena on Nov. 19, which could provide some fun comparisons.

From the SEC, No. 11 Auburn hosts Vermont (8 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), and LSU hosts Louisiana Monroe (8 p.m. ET, SEC Network+). You can start your night by getting your first look at No. 3 UConn, which hosts Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

Time	Game / TV
6:00 p.m.	Wagner vs No. 25 Rutgers – BTN
6:00 p.m.	Maine Fort Kent vs Maine – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart vs. No. 3 UConn – FS1
7:00 p.m.	Campbell vs Virginia – ACCNX, ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Ohio Christian vs Wright State – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Stonehill vs Notre Dame – ACCNX, ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Columbia vs Villanova – CBSSN
7:00 p.m.	Lehigh vs. Georgetown- FS2
7:00 p.m.	Baldwin Wallace vs Cleveland State – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Piedmont University vs South Carolina Upstate – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Carolina Christian vs Presbyterian – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Coppin State vs High Point – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Mount Olive vs Richmond – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	UMass Boston vs New Hampshire – ESPN+
7:00 p.m.	Boyce vs Morehead State – ESPN+
7:30 p.m.	West Georgia vs Georgia Tech – ACCNX, ESPN+
8:00 p.m.	SIU-Edwardsville vs No. 17 Indiana – BTN
8:00 p.m.	UT Rio Grande Valley vs. No. 15 Creighton – FS2
8:00 p.m.	Oral Roberts vs Minnesota – B1G+
8:00 p.m.	Vermont vs No. 11 Auburn – SECN+, ESPN+
8:00 p.m.	Lipscomb vs No. 16 Arkansas – SECN+, ESPN+
8:00 p.m.	UL Monroe vs LSU – SECN+, ESPN+
8:00 p.m.	Earlham vs Eastern Illinois – ESPN+
9:00 p.m.	Western Illinois vs Pepperdine – ESPN+
9:00 p.m.	Alcorn State vs Utah State – Mountain West Network
9:00 p.m.	Oakland vs Boise State – Mountain West Network
10:00 p.m.	Lewis & Clark College vs Portland – ESPN+
10:00 p.m.	UC San Diego vs San Diego State – Mountain West Network
11:00 p.m.	Rider vs San Diego – ESPN+

Bruce Pearl shared his excitement for the first game of the season as only he can:

You heard the man 😤 pic.twitter.com/VgceK2o0uC

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) November 6, 2024

If you’d rather watch football, we’ve got some MACtion as Ohio takes on Kent State (7 p.m., ESPNU) and Northern Illinois travels to Western Michigan (7 p.m., ESPN2).

That’s all for now. I’ll leave you with Chet White’s very cool picture of the Kentucky Basketball coaching staff from Monday night and some highlights.