The next three games loom large for Kentucky and could prove to be the difference maker if the Wildcats are to become bowl eligible for the first time in five years.
Starting with Vanderbilt, Kentucky’s next three opponents are a combined 6-8 overall, including a 1-5 mark in the Southeastern Conference. The Commodores (2-3) haven’t won a league game in two tries, while Mississippi State is 2-2 and 1-1 in the league. Missouri is 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference through the first five weeks of the season.
Two of those three games — Vandy and Mississippi State — are at Commonwealth Stadium, while the Missouri encounter will be in Columbia in three weeks. A sweep by the Wildcats would create a better margin for error, during the last month of the season, considering UK completes the schedule with home games against Georgia and Austin Peay and road contests at Tennessee and instate rival Louisville.
After opening the season with two disappointing setbacks to Southern Mississippi and Florida, respectively, the Wildcats recovered with two straight victories, a winning streak that was snapped in last week’s loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Kentucky’s effort against the top-ranked Crimson Tide gave Wildcats coach Mark Stoops and his staff a foundation to build upon, especially on defense. Instead of folding after the first two losses, Kentucky fought back and proved it was capable of responding to adversity. The Wildcats also provided a physical test for Alabama, giving Stoops and his staff reason for optimism going into the middle half of the season.
“You look at yourself and compare yourself to the very best,” Stoops said. “Nobody is happy (we lost to Alabama), it’s all about wins and losses but you look at yourself and what we did on all sides and the good things we did and you have to build on that. I believe our players will. That’s what we have to be to play in the SEC and at a high level.”
Overall, Stoops said the improvement on defense during the past three weeks is like “night and day.”
“We’re growing and getting better,” Stoops said earlier this week. “It comes like that. You’d like to have five fifth-year seniors and five fourth-year guys playing but we have some inexperience that you have to figure out what they can do and execute. That’s all of us. That’s coaching, it’s not on (the players) but together we’re figuring out and making some improvement. I think you’ll continue to see that.”
The lack of experience across the board has provided players like freshman Landon Young, an offensive tackle, a chance to gain experience and learn on the grow. The former Lafayette High School standout doesn’t mind competing against experienced offensive linemen.
“I think it’ll help a lot and I really hope by the time I get in my junior, senior year I get put in it again because that’s the only way to be the best is to go against the best,” Young said. “That’s how I’m going to improve my game is by going against the best guys I can.”
If the Wildcats can get a sweep during the next three weeks, it will take the pressure off during the final month of the season and give Kentucky a boost. The Wildcats likely will be underdogs against Georgia, Tennessee and Louisville and the favorite in the home finale against Ohio Valley Conference member Austin Peay.
Not only will the next three games determine the team’s outcome this season, they also could be a determining factor on whether or not Stoops will return for a fifth season.
Keith Taylor is a senior sports writer for KyForward, where he primarily covers University of Kentucky sports. Reach him at keith.taylor@kyforward.com or @keithtaylor21 on Twitter