Another Big Season For The Cats?
After four straight bowl wins for the first time in school history expectations are high for Kentucky heading into 2022. Mark Stoops starts this season needing only one win to tie Bear Bryant at 60 wins and two to take the all-time mark. Can Kentucky get 10 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in history? Let’s go through the schedule and see as we begin predicting Kentucky’s 2022 record.
Saturday Night MAC-tion
Miami (Ohio)- September 3rd- Kentucky kicks off the season under the lights at Kroger Field against the Redhawks. Chuck Martin club is coming off a 7-6 campaign ending with a 27-14 win in the Frisco Football Classic over North Texas. It is more than likely UK’s going to be without Chris Rodriguez for a few games starting the year. However, they’re overrun with a talented running back room. UK wins fairly easily as Stoops ties the Bear.
Kentucky 34-17 UK 1-0 0-0 SEC
Looking For Two In A Row
At Florida- September 10th- A season ago the Cats beat the Gators at home for the first time since 1986. It may take new coach Billy Napier a while to get going down in Gainesville so Kentucky could be playing them at a good time. The last time UK beat Florida in successive years was 1976-77, until now.
Kentucky 24-20 UK 2-0 1-0 SEC
A Special Contest
Youngstown State- September 17th- Kentucky returns home as Stoops, Vince Marrow and a host of others play their hometown school. The Penguins went 3-7 last year in the Missouri Valley Conference and are in a rebuilding mode. The Cats win in a game where many of the reserves get a shot.
Kentucky 49-13 UK 3-0 1-0 SEC
Sneaky Tough Game
Northern Illinois- September 24th– The Huskies are coming off a great season in which they won the MAC Championship before losing to Coastal Carolina in an epic Cure Bowl contest. This is their second straight SEC game after they host Vanderbilt the week before. This one likely stays close for a while before the Cats pull away late.
Kentucky 35-21 UK 4-0 1-0 SEC
We’re one-quarter of the way predicting Kentucky’s 2022 record. Let’s move ahead and in the words of the legendary announcer Jim Ross “business is about to pick up.”
Big Time Road Test
At Ole Miss- October 1st– The last time Kentucky visited Oxford was back in 201o when the Rebels beat the Cats 42-35. In addition, Ole Miss has won two straight heartbreakers for the Big Blue Nation including a 42-41 overtime game two years ago where UK missed a tying extra point. Lane Kiffin’s squad may be down slightly from a season ago but still, have enough to hand the Cats their first loss.
Ole Miss 35-28 UK 4-1 1-1 SEC
Everyone’s Sleeper Pick
South Carolina- October 8th- Under Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks went from 2-8 in 2020 to 7-6 and a Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over North Carolina. With Oklahoma, transfer Spencer Rattler under quarterback USC is a sleeper SEC pick. However, UK’s won seven of eight versus the Gamecocks after they won 13 of 14 against the Cats. At the end of the day, Stoops’ Troops have more weapons and get the win.
Kentucky 31-21 UK 5-1 2-1 SEC
Coming Back To The Bluegrass
Mississippi State- October 15th- Former UK offensive coordinator Mike Leach returns to Lexington for the second time since taking the MSU job. He’s hoping for better luck than the last trip in which the Cats held a Leach-coached squad without an offensive point for the first time ever. Quarterback Will Rogers will test the UK secondary early and often. Although, much like the South Carolina game, the Cats have more weapons and at home get the win.
Kentucky 35-27 UK 6-1 3-1 SEC
At this point in predicting Kentucky’s 2022 record, they’ve already reached bowl eligibility. Now they’re playing to improve their destination.
Good Old Rocky Top
At Tennessee- October 29th- Following a bye week the Cats head down Interstate 75 for a battle against the Vols. Much like South Carolina Josh Heupel’s club is a trending pick to finish behind Georgia in the SEC East. A season ago UT came into Kroger Field and knocked off the Cats 45-42. That was after UK won their first game in Knoxville since 1984. Twice in the last four years, Tennessee’s derailed Kentucky’s chances of making a New Year’s Six Bowl. They’re treating this like their Super Bowl and though we’ll get lots of heat for it we are picking the Vols.
Tennessee 38-31 UK 6-2 3-2 SEC
Possible Trap Game
At Missouri- November 5th- The Tigers raised some eyebrows earlier this summer when they commented Kentucky’s a bigger rival than Arkansas. It’s surprising because the Cats have won six of the last seven against Missouri. The only loss was two years ago in Columbia. A letdown is possible after the Tennessee game but at the end of the day, the Cats are quite simply the better team.
Kentucky 34- 23 UK 7-2 4-2 SEC
Continuing Their Domination
Vanderbilt- November 12th- A big part of Kentucky’s rise in the SEC East is their dominance over what’s considered the bottom half of the division. Take the Commodores for example as Kentucky’s won five in a row and six of the last seven. Clark Lea’s team put up 63 points against Hawaii on Saturday, the most since 1969. Of course, that wasn’t against SEC competition. Much like recent games UK pulls away late.
Kentucky 41-20 UK 8-2 SEC 5-2
Game Of The Year
Georgia- November 19th- Should the Cats knock off Tennessee then this is for the SEC East title. Even if it’s not the game’s already a sell-out with resale tickets going for as much as 2,000 dollars. If Kentucky’s ever going to be the top team they have to beat the Bulldogs. However, they haven’t done so since 2009. The last few years they’ve played them close and will again here too but fall short to the defending national champions.
Georgia 31-24 UK 8-3 SEC 5-3
Battle Of The Bluegrass
Louisville- November 26th- The Cats and Cards close out the season with the first meeting in Lexington since 2019. Over the last three games, all Kentucky wins, they’ve dominated by a combined score of 153-44. Scott Satterfield’s club is expected to be better in 2022, but not enough to beat the Cats.
Kentucky 44-21 UK 9-3 SEC 5-3
So there you have it, we’re predicting Kentucky to finish the regular season 9-3 and 5-3 in the conference. In addition, this gives the Cats their first back-to-back seasons above .500 in league play since 1976-77.
Furthermore, we’re picking Kentucky to head south for the winter again for a ReliaQuest Bowl matchup against Michigan State. Of course, this is the former Outback Bowl as the Cats go for a fifth straight bowl win. They’ll win that one and finish 10-3. That’s three double-digit win seasons in the last five years.
That does it for predicting Kentucky’s 2022 record here at Last Word On College Football. We’ll be back later in the week with a Miami (Ohio) game preview.
