SEC Football: Best and Worst-Case Scenario for Every Team in 2015

Oct 25, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Tolando Cleveland (31) and linebacker Beniquez Brown (42) tackle Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles (14) in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mississippi State defeated Kentucky 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky won five games in 2014, but the Wildcats are on a six-game losing streak that put a halt to the momentum gained from last year’s strong start. Towles struggled down the stretch, which severely limited the Wildcats’ ability to move the football in SEC play.

Related: SEC Football: Which Teams are on Upset Alert in Week 1?

Against conference opponents, UK averaged just 359 total yards per game and Towles completed only 56.4 percent of his passes against SEC competition. Also, with offensive coordinator Neal Brown taking the head coaching position at Troy, there could be a few growing pains with a new play-caller.

After being a relative team strength in Stoops’ first two seasons, the biggest question marks heading into 2015 are on defense. Kentucky must somehow replace superstar defensive end Bud Dupree, who had 74 tackles and 7.5 sacks before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The schedule has plenty of winnable games, but the Wildcats may only be favored in four of them: against UL Lafayette, Eastern Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Charlotte (with the game against the Commodores in Nashville questionable if Vandy enters best-case territory). That means UK faces an uphill battle to bowl eligibility.

Kentucky’s Worst-Case Scenario: UK can’t make the next step and fails to make it to a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season

Next: Best-Case Scenario: South Carolina