Kentucky Football: 2017 season preview, predictions

After a five year drought, Kentucky football returned to a bowl game in 2016. Is another postseason trip in the offering for the Wildcats in 2017?

The expectations are always set lower for the Kentucky football team as they constantly play second fiddle to basketball in Lexington. It’s even tougher when you play in a tough football conference like the SEC. However, the football team is improving and has a chance to surprise this year.

Head coach Mark Stoops is entering his fifth season at Kentucky and the Wildcats are coming off their best season since 2009. The Wildcats started 0-2 last season, but won seven of their next 10 including an upset victory over in-state rival Louisville. That resulted in a .500 record in the SEC. Although a loss to Georgia Tech in the Taxslayer Bowl was a small disappointment, the Wildcats could be poised for bigger things this season.

Most national pundits peg Kentucky no higher than fourth in the SEC East behind Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. However at the same time, most will say the East is pretty wide open, so there is a small chance for a sleeper team like Kentucky to rise up. The schedule is favorable and there is plenty coming back from last year’s seven win team, especially on offense.

Can the Wildcats pull off the unthinkable and win the SEC East? That might be too high of a benchmark, but an eight win season is certainly a possibility. That would be a boon for a program that has not won eight games since 2006. Let’s take a look at the improving Wildcats.