'Kentuckian' Mark Stoops knows how important the Governor's Cup game is

Mark Stoops opened his postgame press conference following a blowout loss to Louisville in 2024 by apologizing to the Big Blue Nation for a tough season and called losing to Kentucky’s in-state rival “not very much fun” while making a verbal commitment to fix the problems ailing the program in the offseason. The Wildcats will look to return the favor on Saturday afternoon.

Kentucky (5-6, 2-6) does own a one-win improvement from last season but this remains a football program that still needs to do some building. Significant sections of the Big Blue Nation remain skeptical about Stoops and the program’s direction moving forward. After a humiliating loss to Vanderbilt last week, UK will look to add more win that would get the Wildcats back to a bowl game and record a sixth win in the last seven meetings of this rivalry.

Stoops knows how important this game is.

“A very big game. It’s important for myself. It’s important for the team. It’s important to the BBN and the state,” Stoops explained. “So we’re going to try to represent us the right way, and work exceptionally hard this week, and be prepared to play a great game.”

“It’s the last game, you have to empty the tank, right? The last game of the year — both teams are hurt with important players that are down. It’s always the next man up mentality.”

Kentucky has been hit with some more adversity this season following a very bad loss in Nashville. The Cats will attempt to get the bad taste out of their mouth against an opponent that embarrassed them last season. KSR asked Stoops about the opportunity to end the season on a high note against the same opponent that ended their season in humiliating fashion last year. This was his answer.

“There’s so much that has happened between now and then and it feels like so long ago, but yes, it’s important. You know what I mean? When you go back and have to watch the tape and all that, I mean yeah, it’s definitely not a good feeling. For us, it’s always that week-to-week. It’s pretty easy for me to compartmentalize things. It’s pretty easy to be really excited and motivated on a Monday for this week because last week’s gone,” Stoops explained. “Let’s just look for solutions moving forward. It is definitely a piece of it — you can’t ignore that.”

There was definitely some coachspeak from the dean of SEC head coaches included in that response, but there is no denying there will be some extra motivation this week from everyone in the Joe Craft Football Training Facility this week. Louisville ended a rough season in 2024 by winning in blowout fashion in Kroger Field. A few months later, long-time Kentucky assistant Vince Marrow departed the program to work at Louisville. Mark Stoops knows what’s at stake. This is his home. He gets it.

“This where I’ve lived for a long time. Whether you like it or not, I’m a Kentuckian now. Right? I’ve been here as long as anywhere I’ve been. I left home at 17 and haven’t been back. So this is home — and I care,” said Stops. “It’s a rivalry that is important to both teams and it’s important to the state and it’s important to your fans. It’s be important to our team.”

Kentucky has not had a great season in 2025. They can help it feel better by getting back to a bowl game and recording a statement win on Saturday against a reeling Louisville squad.