There are a number of ways in which the teams of college football are ranked each week. In the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, Kentucky football came in just outside the top 30. In the AP Top 25, they were still top 40. However, in ESPN’s SP+ rankings (subscription required), they are top 20.
The SP+ ranking was designed by analyst Bill Connelly, and he describes it this way:
SP+ is indeed intended to be predictive and forward-facing. It is not a résumé ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is. It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.
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In this week’s update, Kentucky comes in solidly at number 18. They’re overall rating is 15.2, while the Texas Longhorns, who are at the top, are rated 30.5.
The Wildcats are ranked as the tenth highest SEC team in the SP+ rankings. Vanderbilt, who Kentucky plays next, ranks 63rd despite their win over the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend.