Kentucky is really embracing the disrespect card that seems to be playing out as a kind of national narrative.

The Wildcats are 7.5-point underdogs this week at Auburn, and although they are also an increasingly popular upset pick, UK is motivating itself with the disrespect card. Assistant Vince Marrow was so irritated that the Wildcats were not ranked in the preseason Associated Press poll, he tweeted about it.

There were, however, seven SEC teams that were ranked by the AP in the preseason: #3 Alabama, #4 Georgia, #6 LSU, #8 Florida, #11 Auburn, #13 Texas A&M and #25 Tennessee.

“This is a joke but time will tell very soon. Go Big Blue,” Marrow tweeted about a month ago.

Kentucky is now ranked #23.

In UK’s latest hype video, there is talk about “everyone around the world disrespecting us, because we like that you heard me? … No fear in this group. Cut it loose. … It ain’t our fault they gotta play us.”

Earlier this week, coach Mark Stoops discussed what his team can do to navigate this season, which has already been delayed and had a schedule change to 10 SEC games.

“An experienced quarterback (Terry Wilson) helps, an experienced football team helps,” Stoops said. “Certainly, in these uncertain times and the way things have been so different. An experienced football team is something that I like. A team with strong leadership is something that I like. A team that is very tough physically and mentally, I like.”