Kentucky football moves up to No. 18 in Week 8 Coaches Poll

After playing its best football of the season, Kentucky football is back on the winning path.

On Sunday afternoon, the Wildcats were bumped up four spots from No. 22 to No. 18 overall in the Week 8 AFCA Coaches Poll. Kentucky secured a 27-17 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, which dropped from No. 17 to No. 24 in the updated Coaches Poll, at Kroger Field on Saturday night.

Kentucky (5-2; 2-2 SEC) was moved back into ESPN’s Top 25 Power Rankings on Sunday morning, also jumping to No. 18 overall.

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The most notable change in the Coaches Poll comes near the top. Tennessee moved up four spots to No. 4 after knocking off Alabama in a 52-49 thriller, which saw the Crimson Tide fall five spots from No. 1 in the country to No. 6. Georgia has retaken the top spot as a result. The Ole Miss Rebels were the fourth SEC program to crack the Coaches Poll’s Top 7. Kentucky at No. 18 and Mississippi State at No. 24 round out the SEC teams among the Top 25.

Kentucky also saw a rise in ESPN’s updated Football Power Index, jumping five spots to No. 31. Notably, the Wildcats’ projected win-loss total received a nifty bump — the FPI had it set at 6.7-5.3 following last weekend’s loss to South Carolina, but now has it set at 7.4-4.6. Kentucky has a 98.9 percent chance to reach the six-win threshold, per the FPI, but just a 0.3 percent chance to win the SEC East.

The AP Poll will be released later on Sunday. For reference, Kentucky was tied for No. 22 overall in that poll coming into the weekend.

Week 8 AFCA Coaches Poll Top 25

1. Georgia (+1)
2. Ohio State (+1)
3. Michigan (+1)
4. Tennessee (+4)
5. Clemson
6. Alabama (-5)
7. Ole Miss (+2)
8. TCU (+7)
9. Oregon (+2)
10. UCLA (+2)
11. Oklahoma State (-4)
12. Southern California (-6)
13. Wake Forest (+1)
14. Syracuse (+4)
15. Utah (+4)
16. Penn State (-6)
17. Kansas State (-1)
18. Kentucky (+4)
19. Cincinnati (+2)
20. Illinois (+7)
21. Texas (+3)
22. North Carolina (+3)
23. NC State (-10)
24. Mississippi State (-7)
25. Tulane (+6)

Schools Dropped Out

No. 20 Kansas; No. 23 Baylor

Others Receiving Votes

Louisiana State 51; Central Florida 33; Kansas 29; South Carolina 24; Purdue 23; Maryland 15; Liberty 12; Washington 9; Baylor 7; Coastal Carolina 5; Pittsburgh 4; South Alabama 3; Arkansas 3; Texas-San Antonio 1.