TAKE TWO: Key Road Game for Kentucky
In this edition of Cats Illustrated's "Take Two" feature, staff writers Justin Rowland and Jeff Drummond offer their opinions on which Kentucky road game might hold the key to the Wildcats' 2024 season.
JUSTIN ROWLAND:
I'll go with Kentucky's Sept. 28 trip to Ole Miss. The last time UK was in Oxford, Will Levis had Kentucky in a position to win the game. Ole Miss is an opponent that definitely scares you with that offense, and I think they're a legitimate playoff contender, but is the overall strength of roster so impressive that UK goes on the road and you feel like they don't have a chance? Also consider that it's at the midway point of the season and would be a huge momentum boost before several other key SEC contests. This will be one of the tougher games in the first half of the year for the Rebels. Ole Miss will not be a very tested team going into this game. The Rebels will have only played Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Georgia Southern. This is a tough question because UK has road games against Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida. I feel like they will win in the Swamp. The others are all very tough. This is also a statement about how far Kentucky has come. Florida is a pick that makes sense and they can't take that for granted because there's still talent.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
Justin has made the perfect segway for my choice. While I like his pick of Ole Miss and agree that one could make a case for any of the four road games that UK plays in 2024, I'm going with Florida. Both of Mark Stoops' 10-win seasons with the Wildcats have been highlighted by an impressive win over a ranked Gators squad. I'm not sure if this year's Florida team will be ranked when Oct. 19 rolls around, but that program is always going to feature enough raw talent to be in that position. That's Week 7 for the Cats, and there's a realistic chance they could be 5-1 walking into "The Swamp." Getting to 6-1 with five to play and three where you may be favored would be big if you're entertaining a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff. Kentucky is riding a three-game win streak over the Gators, something most of us never would have envisioned 10 years ago. But the Cats have to stay hungry in this matchup. They can't take it for granted. (Words I thought I would never type.)