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Paul Finebaum puts Mark Stoops on alert, warns against Kentucky loss in Week 1

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko08/25/25nickkosko59
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Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum put a lot of pressure on Kentucky coach Mark Stoops to open the 2025 college football season. Kentucky starts with Toledo but then goes right into SEC play with a home game against Ole Miss in Week 2.

Sure, the Wildcats are favored, but they better not stumble during the opening weekend. Stoops, who’s coming off a 4-8 season, is on alert, per Finebaum.

He’s been regularly successful with Kentucky, but last year was the first losing season since 2020 (COVID season) or 2015 if you count a full regular season. Safe to say, they have to get off to a good start.

“I think Mark Stoops probably,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “This is a program that has been known to lose games that it shouldn’t be losing. And considering Ole Miss is around the corner, he needs to look good. Because, I mean, we all know he’s got a $35 million buyout, which almost everyone agrees can’t be paid. But just try losing an opener and then lose to Ole Miss the next week and suddenly have another lost season before you’re even to the first day of Autumn, and that pressure will overwhelm you.”

But this is a cohesive unit, per Stoops. If Kentucky improved one thing over the course of the last year, it’s coming together as a team and playing efficiently. 

“What I love most about this team is the team. The strength of our team is going to be the team. We can’t be overly dominant on defense or on offense, special teams. We have to be good everywhere,” Stoops said, via Kentucky Sports Radio. “And we have to play together. I love the way this group has come together …

“I just like the way they care about each other. I like the way they play. I think you as a fan base — you’re going to love watching them. I’ve been proud through the years, and I know we fell short time to time. We all want the same thing. We want a passionate group that plays extremely hard, that represents Kentucky the right way, and plays very physical, very tough, very hard, and cares about each other. We’re going to do that.”

If Stoops and Kentucky beat Toledo, they’ll head into the Ole Miss matchup with a little juice. The September slate isn’t friendly, as Finebaum pointed out. Stoops and crew also have to go to South Carolina at the end of the month.