Kentucky enters the first College Football Playoff rankings with a top-tier resume
The first College Football Playoff top 25 ranking arrives next week, and the Kentucky Wildcats are expected to make a prominent appearance. Kentucky has a strong chance to land several spots higher than its current No. 9 position in the Associated Press poll, driven by a formidable set of underlying metrics.
As the team enters Week 9, the numbers on its team sheet tell a compelling story. Kentucky holds the nation’s top spot in Strength of Record, which measures the probability that an average Top 25 team would achieve the Wildcats’ record or better against the same schedule. At the same time, the team sits at No. 8 for Strength of Schedule and No. 19 in Game Control. Only ten teams in the country face a tougher remaining slate.
Wildcats build sturdy foundation with top wins
The Wildcats have already built a sturdy foundation of wins. They secured a top-10 victory at home and two top-30 wins on the road, a combination few programs across college football can match. Standout wins include performances against LSU—which ranks No. 5 in game control and No. 7 in FPI against a top-25 schedule—alongside Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Advanced metrics present a slight divergence. While computer systems like FPI, SP+, and Sagarin are currently not high on Kentucky, ranking the team 24th in FPI, those figures could shift with continued victories. The remaining November schedule offers ample opportunity for upward mobility, featuring matchups against Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, and Louisville.
| Metric | Kentucky Rank |
|---|---|
| Strength of Record | 1 |
| Strength of Schedule | 8 |
| AP Poll | 9 |
| Remaining Strength of Schedule | 11 |
| Game Control | 19 |
| FPI | 24 |
| Average In-Game Win Probability | 41 |
Without the sub-20 marks in several power ratings, Kentucky might command serious consideration for the No. 1 overall spot. Instead, the selection committee will weigh the elite strength of record and high-end wins against the computer rankings when the first playoff field takes shape.
