With Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, The Athletic ($) weighed in over the weekend with thoughts on how the Longhorns and Sooners’ collective arrivals will impact each school.
On the subject of Kentucky football, The Athletic’s Kennington Smith says that he doesn’t see things changing a whole lot for the Wildcats with Mark Stoops as head coach.
As Smith notes:
“With Nick Saban’s retirement, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is the longest-tenured SEC coach (12th year upcoming). It’s not easy to win at Kentucky, but Stoops has done it, creating a model built to last in Lexington.”
As previously noted, Kentucky has reached new heights for the modern era under Stoops. The Wildcats have been to two Citrus Bowls on New Year’s Day, beating both Penn State and Iowa, in addition to three Gator Bowl appearances (typically played on or around New Year’s Eve).
On Stoops’ watch, the team also ended a 31-game losing streak to Florida, as well as a 36-year drought without a win in Knoxville against Tennessee.
Then there’s Stoops’ ability to recruit at a relatively high mark at both the high school level and through the transfer portal. 247Sports currently has Kentucky’s 2025 class at No. 18 nationally, a year after the Wildcats’ 2024 class finished in the Top 25.
Smith adds:
“Kentucky’s talent acquisition model is efficient and effective: The program has made it difficult for other teams to get talent in its state — last week, the Wildcats beat out Alabama for blue chip defender Javeon Campbell. Stoops has turned Kentucky into a solid transfer destination, selling a chance to compete in the premier conference while competing for bowl games regularly. Transfers like Brock Vandagriff and Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Georgia) and Chip Trayanum (Ohio State) were big gets on the portal market.”
As for Texas and Oklahoma specifically, Kentucky will visit Austin on November 23, one week before its annual Governor’s Cup showdown with Louisville. It will mark the first meeting between the Wildcats and Longhorns on the gridiron since 1951 when Bear Bryant was head coach in Lexington. Texas won the 1951 game, 7-6. Kentucky isn’t scheduled to face Oklahoma until at least 2026.
Smith sums up Texas and Oklahoma’s impact on the Wildcats this way:
“Does it mean Kentucky will compete for an SEC title? Probably not, but will the Wildcats fade into obscurity with new powerhouses coming in? Under Stoops, it’s not likely.”
Kentucky opens the 2024 season on August 31 in primetime against Southern Miss at Kroger Field. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised by SEC Network.
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