BTI's Rants and Ramblings: What Would Each Possible UK Record Mean?
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© Dale Zanine | USATSI[/caption]
Before the season, I put a post up detailing how the fanbase would react/feel with each possible season record, from 0-12 to 12-0. You can view the full post here. Now that we are completed with half of this season, I thought it could be a good time to do a little refresher and get a sense of how the fanbase might feel depending on each of the record possibilities. This does not take into consideration a possible SEC title game and/or bowl berth.
FINISHING RECORD
5-7: A complete collapse by the Cats would bring back memories from 2014 and 2015. Considering this would include losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Louisville, and MTSU, I would have to think Mark Stoops would be back on the hot seat. And likely will have lost the fanbase again.
6-6: Sure the Cats would go to a bowl but they'd probably be the only ones as fans would likely have checked out by the time Georgia was beating us. This would likely just be a win over MTSU left on the schedule. Stoops would very likely keep his job but the seat would be very, very hot going into 2019.
7-5: The two scenarios above are very, very unlikely. When you get here is where you could reasonably say their is some realistic chance. Even saying that, I would say 7-5 is a less than 5% chance of happening. This would mean wins over MTSU and either 1 SEC win or Louisville. No matter what the combination would be, fans would have to feel some disappointment if the season finished here. Would mean Cats lost at least two of Vandy/UT/UL and that would suck.
8-4: I think, right now, this is reasonably the worst case scenario. Give UK Vandy and MTSU. Louisville is looking more and more like a lock too. That means road losses to Mizzou and Tennessee and a home loss to Georgia. In some ways, that is a very good season. In other ways, you would still see opportunity lost. Would be interesting to see the fanbase reaction to an 8-4 finish, which would also lead to a pretty decent bowl.
9-3: Unless one of the two remaining losses is Louisville, this means Cats don't make SEC title game but finish 5-3 in SEC for the first time since the Carter administration. The difference in fan reaction between an 8-4 season and a 9-3 season would be the most dramatic, I think. Even still, a New Year's Bowl is very possible at 9-3 and this team goes down as the best in UK in over 40 years.
10-2: If the remaining loss is to Georgia, then Cats might not make it to Atlanta but if Georgia is a win, then Cats are going to Atlanta barring some unfortunate things. This season would go down as maybe the best in UK since the 1950's and a chance to play Alabama would be wild. Mark Stoops gets as close to a lifetime deal as he wants.
11-1: Hello Atlanta. Hell Sugar Bowl. Hello all the money to Mark Stoops. Don't even try Florida State. He's Ours.
Thoughts?
© Dale Zanine | USATSI[/caption]
Before the season, I put a post up detailing how the fanbase would react/feel with each possible season record, from 0-12 to 12-0. You can view the full post here. Now that we are completed with half of this season, I thought it could be a good time to do a little refresher and get a sense of how the fanbase might feel depending on each of the record possibilities. This does not take into consideration a possible SEC title game and/or bowl berth.
FINISHING RECORD
5-7: A complete collapse by the Cats would bring back memories from 2014 and 2015. Considering this would include losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Louisville, and MTSU, I would have to think Mark Stoops would be back on the hot seat. And likely will have lost the fanbase again.
6-6: Sure the Cats would go to a bowl but they'd probably be the only ones as fans would likely have checked out by the time Georgia was beating us. This would likely just be a win over MTSU left on the schedule. Stoops would very likely keep his job but the seat would be very, very hot going into 2019.
7-5: The two scenarios above are very, very unlikely. When you get here is where you could reasonably say their is some realistic chance. Even saying that, I would say 7-5 is a less than 5% chance of happening. This would mean wins over MTSU and either 1 SEC win or Louisville. No matter what the combination would be, fans would have to feel some disappointment if the season finished here. Would mean Cats lost at least two of Vandy/UT/UL and that would suck.
8-4: I think, right now, this is reasonably the worst case scenario. Give UK Vandy and MTSU. Louisville is looking more and more like a lock too. That means road losses to Mizzou and Tennessee and a home loss to Georgia. In some ways, that is a very good season. In other ways, you would still see opportunity lost. Would be interesting to see the fanbase reaction to an 8-4 finish, which would also lead to a pretty decent bowl.
9-3: Unless one of the two remaining losses is Louisville, this means Cats don't make SEC title game but finish 5-3 in SEC for the first time since the Carter administration. The difference in fan reaction between an 8-4 season and a 9-3 season would be the most dramatic, I think. Even still, a New Year's Bowl is very possible at 9-3 and this team goes down as the best in UK in over 40 years.
10-2: If the remaining loss is to Georgia, then Cats might not make it to Atlanta but if Georgia is a win, then Cats are going to Atlanta barring some unfortunate things. This season would go down as maybe the best in UK since the 1950's and a chance to play Alabama would be wild. Mark Stoops gets as close to a lifetime deal as he wants.
11-1: Hello Atlanta. Hell Sugar Bowl. Hello all the money to Mark Stoops. Don't even try Florida State. He's Ours.
Thoughts?
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