Coming off a moral victory of sorts in a 16-6 home loss to Georgia, Kentucky stumbles into the Governor’s Cup battle with Louisville as a team badly in need of a victory … for several reasons.

Yes, neither Kentucky nor Louisville is headed for a New Year’s Day bowl. But there’s plenty on the line in Lexington for the Wildcats in the regular-season finale against their in-state rival.

First, Kentucky wants to avoid a return to the early, mediocre days of Mark Stoops football. In 2014, Stoops’ 2nd season in Lexington, the Wildcats started the season 5-1 … and finished 5-7. The next year, Kentucky started 4-1 … and finished 5-7.

After that, Kentucky started finishing better and started showing up in bowl games. The expectation was that UK was deeper, stronger and better than the teams that looked like lions in September and October and kitty cats in November.

But this Kentucky team started 4-0 and reached No. 7 in the nation … and now is 6-5. Beating Louisville (7-4) and winning a bowl game can still get UK to an 8-5 season, and while that was a significant notch below preseason expectations, it’s still substantially better than the days of losing records and losses to Louisville.

Second, Kentucky wants to keep its momentum in the rivalry. The Wildcats have won 3 straight over the Cardinals, and the combined score of those games was 153-44. The longest winning streak in the modern series between the Wildcats and Cardinals is 5 in a row by Louisville from 2011-15.

Given its boost in fortune, Kentucky has owned the state in recruiting in recent years. A loss to Louisville on the heels of the Cardinals bringing in their highest-ranked recruiting class in many years would not bode well for the future.

Third, Kentucky’s offense has to show signs of life. This was a season when expectations were that the ‘Cats might take a small step back on defense but that an offense keyed by Will Levis and Chris Rodriguez would put UK into a spot where even shootouts could be won.

Instead, Kentucky’s offense has been historically bad. Levis and Rodriguez have certainly had their moments, but behind a deeply mediocre offensive line, nothing has been easy. Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello is almost certain to be moving on, and some of the talented younger players, like standout true freshmen receivers Barion Brown and Dane Key, need more than blind faith that Kentucky will actually be able to utilize them.

The Louisville game is a chance to right a season worth of offensive wrongs.

Fourth, the Louisville game matters for fan support. Kentucky’s long-suffering gridiron fans are relatively legendary for supporting the Wildcats well beyond the edge of sanity. Those 2-10 seasons have had mostly full stadiums. But anybody looking at the combination of red-clad fans and empty seats at Kroger Field on Saturday could feel the fatigue in Kentucky’s football fan base.

Attendance issues have marred big-time college football, as tickets get more expensive, big-screen TVs get cheaper and fans choose not to fill stadiums. But Kentucky’s fans — having waited decades for competitive football — have felt more than slightly aggrieved by this 2022 team. A beatdown of Louisville would help.

Fifth, it’s Louisville. In 1994, Kentucky beat Louisville and lost every game for the rest of the season. It would probably have taken several wins to convince Kentucky fans to trade the single win.

This rivalry is Bobby Petrino and thrown trash cans.

It’s Lamar Jackson fumbling and Stevie Johnson getting loose.

Maybe it’s even Rick Pitino and Stripper Gate, and Joe B. and Denny.

It’s city sprawl and horse farms.

It’s river town and inland fort.

It’s red and blue.

It matters just because it has always mattered, and it always will matter. Kentucky-Louisville Week is here. Enjoy it!