Mark Stoops moves up on UK coaching win-record list

Kentucky’s victory over Arkansas was vital for the Wildcats’ bowl dreams, the team’s morale and the fanbase’s commitment to the remainder of the season. That’s what really mattered Saturday night. However, Kentucky’s win also gave Coach Mark Stoops some extra “cred.” Saturday’s victory was Stoops’ 39th ‘W’ as UK’s head coach.

With the win, Stoops ties Coach Rich Brooks for the No. 5 spot on Kentucky’s all-time winningest coaches list. Bear Bryant leads the list with 60 wins, followed by Blanton Collier and Jerry Claiborne, who are tied with 41 wins each. The victory also gave Stoops his 29th home win with the Wildcats, tying him with Coach Collier and Fran Curci for third place in school history.

Stoops’ win-loss record at Kentucky is now hovering near 50 percent – he’s currently sitting at 39-42 (48.1 percent). Could we see Mark Stoops also become only the third coach in UK football history to surpass a .500 win coaching record? Bear Bryant did it (60-23 for 72 percent), as did Blanton Collier (41-36 for 53 percent). Coach Curci was close (47-51), but he didn’t quite get there before the end of his tenure; Mark Stoops could.

With just six games left on the schedule, Stoops would have to win five of those outings to claim the accomplishment this season. That’d be tough, but it makes it clear just how close Coach Stoops is to actually breaking the .500 line. If the Cats can grab another handful of wins this season, Stoops will be set up to break 50 percent next year.

His 39 wins already puts Coach Stoops ahead of Coach Charlie Bradshaw (1962-68), John Ray (1969-72), Bill Curry (1990-96), Hal Mumme (1997-2000), Guy Morriss (2001-02), and Joker Phillips (2010-12).