Mark Pope stays in rarefied air with Adolph Rupp with win over Florida

Kentucky is now 3-0 vs. AP Top-10 ranked opponents with the win over No. 6 Florida. That puts Mark Pope in some very good company. With the 106-100 victory, Pope joins Adolph Rupp as the only Kentucky coach to win his first three games vs. top-ten teams. The Cats beat No. 6 Duke in the Champions Classic in Pope’s third game as coach and No. 7 Gonzaga about a month later.

Pope’s got a ways to go to catch the Baron. Rupp won his first SEVEN games vs. AP Top 10 teams from 1948 to 1951. In theory, Pope could reach that this season. Kentucky has five more games against AP Top 10 teams in the regular season. In fact, they’re all against top-five teams as of now.

• No. 5 Alabama (1/18, home)
• No. 1 Tennessee (1/28, away)
• No. 1 Tennessee (2/11, home)
• No. 5 Alabama (2/22, away)
• No. 2 Auburn (3/1, home)

Winning any of those is going to be a challenge. But man, it’ll be fun to watch the Cats try.

When asked Kentucky’s 3-0 mark against top-ten teams, Pope said it’s a testament to how his team loves to compete and rising to the challenge.

“They love it. They love it and every day we’re learning to love each other a little more. Just the opportunity to compete. There’s nothing better.

“You only get to do this for a little bit of time in your life, to just compete like this, and our guys are falling in love with competing. They’re falling in love with it. I don’t think they’re scared. I don’t think they spend a ton of time stressing or fretting about the outcome.”

Kentucky wins over AP Top 10 teams

• Nov. 12: No. 19 Kentucky 77, No. 6 Duke 72
• Dec. 7: No. 4 Kentucky 90, No. 7 Gonzaga 89 OT
• Jan. 4: No. 10 Kentucky 106, No. 6 Florida 100

Mark Pope hugged every one of his players at the end of the handshake line.

He loves this team, and this team loves him.

What a thrilling win for Kentucky over Florida, 106-100. #BBN @FOX56News pic.twitter.com/ghU6iZYO3Y

— Michael Epps (@MichaelEppsTV) January 4, 2025