Kentucky’s SEC start highlights struggles of 5 other conference teams
By Keith Farner
Published:
It’s one thing for Kentucky to have a season the Bluegrass hasn’t enjoyed like this since the 1970s, but it’s quite another to frame it in context with other SEC teams.
Kentucky’s four SEC wins — against Florida, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt — mean the Wildcats have topped the combined conference win totals of Auburn (two), Tennessee (one), Missouri (zero), Arkansas (zero) and Vanderbilt (zero).
While some of these other SEC teams have had their share of struggles in recent years, it’s tough to see them all having trouble at the same time, while the Wildcats are thriving.
This is UK’s best five-game SEC start since the 1977 team started 5-0. This is continuing a trend that also hasn’t been seen in four decades. UK is 11-7 in its last 18 SEC games, the best 18-game stretch since the 1977-79 teams went 11-7.
Even a glass half-empty view wouldn’t be all bad. UK will finish at least .500 or better in the SEC for three straight seasons, the first time that has been accomplished since 1953-56.
UK will next play at Missouri on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Entering Week 9, Kentucky has more SEC wins than Auburn, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt combined. pic.twitter.com/ksGzlv5DJj
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 22, 2018
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
