Kentucky will face six preseason top-20 teams

The preseason Coaches Poll was released on Monday with the 2025 college football regular season only weeks away. It was clear before Monday that Kentucky faces a daunting slate, but the preseason poll underscores just how challenging the schedule could be.

Six of Kentucky’s 12 scheduled opponents are ranked in the top-20 of the preseason poll.

Texas checks in at No. 1 and the Wildcats host the Longhorns on October 18 after a bye. Just before that, on Oct. 4, Kentucky is slated to travel to No. 4 Georgia for a game Between the Hedges. Those are the two highest-ranked teams on the Wildcats’ slate. In the first Coaches Poll of the year the rest of the top-10 consists of Ohio State (No. 2), Penn State (No. 3), Notre Dame (No. 5), Clemson (No. 6), Oregon (No. 7), Alabama (No. 8), LSU (No. 9) and Miami (No. 10). Check the full list here.

The Wildcats are also scheduled to face No. 13 South Carolina, No. 15 Ole Miss, No. 17 Florida, and No. 18 Tennessee.

The games against Ole Miss, Florida, and Tennessee are at home while the South Carolina game is on the road. The Wildcats are slated to take on four top-20 opponents in the month of October alone.