KSR Today: Citrus Bowl, anyone?

On3 imageby:Zack Geoghegan12/02/21

ZGeogheganKSR

Good morning, folks! We hope you like New Year’s in Orlando, because that’s exactly where Kentucky Football is expected to spend the start of 2022. The final CFB Playoff rankings will drop this weekend, and it won’t take long after that for the dozens of bowl games to find their suitors. If you look around the national media, the consensus has the ‘Cats heading back to the Citrus Bowl for the second time in four years. Even the ones who don’t think UK makes the Citrus Bowl still have them bowling in the state of Florida.

Keep in mind that nothing is official yet, but Kentucky is trending toward another Citrus Bowl appearance where they’ll face the Iowa Hawkeyes, Mark Stoops’ alma mater.

We’ll see you in Orlando…

Statement win for Kentucky WBB

West Virginia came into Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night just outside of the top 25 and a squad projected to compete for the Big 12 title. Unfortunately, the Mountaineers ran into a dialed-in Rhyne Howard, who exploded for 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals in Kentucky’s impressive 83-60 victory.

It was easily the ‘Cats signature win of the young season and an excellent building block to grow off of. WVU is a good opponent and received national love for a good reason; Kentucky was just in a groove it hadn’t yet hit all season until last night.

Big Football recruiting week

If you missed out on my Wednesday evening football recruiting notes article, make sure to check it out here. It’s a fluid situation right now with news popping up left and right. Mark Stoops and his staff have been putting in the work this week visiting recruits, and it’s already paying off in the form of future official visits from a handful of them.

Most importantly, though, would be Vince Marrow and Eric Wolford stopping by Aspirations Gym on Wednesday night to check in on Kiyaunta Goodwin and Elijah Reed.

Mark Stoops is Kentucky’s guy

With Mark Stoops now contracted to coach Kentucky through 2028, the Big Blue Nation can once again dream of the new heights he might be able to take this program. He’s already done the once-unthinkable in about a nine-year span; imagine what the next nine years could hold?

He’s only three victories away from etching his name in Wildcat lore, where he would pass Paul “Bear” Bryant on the program’s all-time wins list. Stoops is 32-17 over the last four years with three straight bowl wins and the opportunity for a fourth on the way. He deserves everything and anything that Kentucky can offer him.

KSR’s Freddie Maggard and Nick Roush did a much better job than I ever could of putting into words how much Stoops means to Kentucky Football.

Kentucky MBB title odds

Over at the online sportsbook BetOnline.ag, Kentucky’s title odds moved from +1400 (14/1 odds) to +2200 (22/1) in the seven games since the season began on November 7.

Kentucky +2200 (22/1)

Kentucky’s odds opened at +1800 in the spring, fell to +1400 in the fall, stayed at +1400 on Opening Day, and have since dropped to +2200. Meanwhile, Duke moved to +900 (9/1) from +1200 (12/1) to open the season, but Gonzaga remains the betting favorite at +450 (9/2) today at BetOnline.

Wooden Award odds

In the Player of the Year race, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Duke’s Paolo Banchero share the honor of being the betting favorite; both at +375 (7/2) odds, according to BetOnline.ag. A very familiar name in Johnny Juzang is fourth on the board at +1200 (12/1) odds, then Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe makes his first appearance in the Wooden betting conversation. Tshiebwe jumped from off the board in the preseason to +3300 (33/1) in BetOnline’s new update. Behind him, Kellan Grady fell off the board from +8000 (80/1) odds to start the year.

Oscar Tshiebwe +3000 (30/1)

If you’re interested in betting on Grady or TyTy Washington, Bovada lists those two but not Tshiebwe.

Kellan Grady +15000 (150/1)
TyTy Washington +25000 (250/1)

Our nation’s leader in assists, Sahvir Wheeler cannot be found.


That’s all the news I have for you this morning. We’ve got radio coming up in an hour. See you then!

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2024-03-28