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The Kentucky Wildcats have finished 5-7 in two consecutive seasons. Despite the loss of QB Patrick Towles, who transferred to Boston College, the goal remains the same for the Wildcats — earn their first bowl bid under coach Mark Stoops.
It will be a bit of an uphill climb to make that happen.
In 2015, Kentucky faced just two teams ranked in the final AP Top 25 Poll. According to very early 2016 projections, the Wildcats will draw four ranked teams next year.
Kentucky’s toughest SEC East opponents will be Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. The Wildcats will square off against the Volunteers and Gators on the road. Stoops’ team will also visit cross-state rival Louisville.
Unfortunately, Kentucky also draws Alabama as its crossover game, and the contest is in Tuscaloosa. The Wildcats play annual West opponent Mississippi State at home.
In order to win at least six games and have a chance at bowl eligibility, Kentucky must beat its lesser opponents. Kentucky’s only other road game is at Missouri. The Wildcats play seven of their 12 games at home.
Non-conference games against Southern Miss, New Mexico and Austin Peay and home games with South Carolina and Vanderbilt will go a long way to determining whether Kentucky becomes bowl eligible for the first time since 2010.
Let’s take a closer look at the schedule.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Home games (7): Southern Miss (Sept. 3), New Mexico State (Sept. 17), South Carolina (Sept. 24), Vanderbilt (Oct. 8), Mississippi State (Oct. 22), Georgia (Nov. 5), Austin Peay Governors (Nov. 19)
Road games (5): Florida (Sept. 10), Alabama (Oct. 1), Missouri (Oct. 29), Tennessee (Nov. 12), Louisville (Nov. 26)
Longest home stretch: 2 games (New Mexico State and South Carolina)
Longest road stretch: 1 game
OPPONENT BREAKDOWN
2015 ranked teams (final regular season): No. 1 Alabama, No. 22 Tennessee, No. 25 Florida
2016 ranked teams (early projections): No. 4 Tennessee, No. 7 Alabama, No. 17 Florida, No. 24 Georgia
Potential trap games: South Carolina (a week before visiting top ranked Alabama); at Missouri (the following two weeks, the Wildcats will face two preseason ranked SEC East opponents: Georgia and Tennessee).
Toughest SEC games: at Alabama, at Tennessee, at Florida
FULL SCHEDULE
| Week | Opponent | Venue |
| 1 | Southern Miss | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 2 | at Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium |
| 3 | New Mexico State | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 4 | South Carolina | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 5 | at Alabama | Bryant-Denny Stadium |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 7 | Open | |
| 8 | Mississippi State | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 9 | at Missouri | Faurot Field |
| 10 | Georgia | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 11 | at Tennessee | Neyland Stadium |
| 12 | Austin Peay Governors | Commonwealth Stadium |
| 13 | at Louisville | Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium |
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
