Legge's Thoughts: The Cats and Stoops Arrive for Media Days

ATLANTA – Here's a look at Kentucky coach Mark Stoops and the Cats heading into the 2018 season.

Last season: 7-6, (4-4 SEC)

Last game vs. UGA: No. 7 UGA 42, UK 13 in Athens

Series Record: UGA leads 57-12-2

Last five meetings vs. UGA: UGA 5, UK 0

Most memorable Georgia win: 1978 – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Rex Robinson kicks a game-winning field goal as the Dawgs pull a tough win out in Lexington at night. 

Most painful Georgia loss: 1988 – In Vince Dooley's final season, Georgia is upset and taken out of the SEC race after a difficult loss to the Cats. Had Georgia won the game Dooley would have retired with a share of the SEC crown. Honorable mention to Georgia's upset loss in 2006 - the day Matthew Stafford got a literal black eye. 

Legge’s Take: Last year we were sold the notion, by those selling, that Kentucky could challenge for the SEC East. 

Nope. 

The Cats lost, again, to the Gators (28-27). They took a heartbreaking loss to Ole Miss (37-34). But they were uncompetitive against State (45-7) and UGA (42-13). I’m not saying this happens all of the time, but we likely should pump the breaks on thinking Kentucky is much more than a 7-5 team. 

Yes, the Cats should be able to compete and beat the likes of Carolina, Tennessee and the Gators this fall. But breaking through to do much more than that is hard to see. The Cats will show that they are for real (in the realm of getting to a solid bowl) by taking out the Gators in game two in Gainesville. That doesn’t seem like too much of an ask for a program that has had the Gators on the chopping block often lately only to let them slither away. 

I don’t see Kentucky getting to eight wins in the regular season. Not as it stands today. But there are not that many “certain” losses on this schedule. That’s what Mark Stoops has done for his program - provided stability in the way of avoiding stupidity.