Ad Disclosure
Mark Stoops’ worst loss? Kentucky head coach getting blasted after home upset against Vanderbilt
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Mark Stoops and Kentucky entered Saturday as the No. 24 team in the College Football Playoff standings. The Wildcats welcomed Vanderbilt, a team they had beaten 6 times in a row, to Kroger Field. The Commodores hadn’t won an SEC game in 26 attempts.
That streak is now over as Vandy defeated Kentucky 24-21, putting an end to the 3rd-longest losing skid in conference history. Mike Wright connected with Will Sheppard from 8 yards out to put the Commodores up with 32 seconds remaining.
The Wildcats were 10-3 and won the Citrus Bowl in 2021, ending the year in the top 20. They were ranked No. 7 after a 4-0 start to the 2022 season but have dropped 4 of 6 since then. Stoops has had plenty of success in his 10 seasons at the helm of the program, but this ranks as arguably the worst loss of his career.
To make matters worse, the Wildcats’ next game is against No. 1 Georgia, who appear destined for a 2nd straight national championship.
Kentucky’s stunning loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon gained a great deal of reaction across social media:
Everyone can blame Barnhart for the NIL but Stoops is who’s to blame. I keep saying I like him but at some point everyone needs to be held accountable. If he won’t fire an incompetent OC then he needs to be gone.
— Sam Rogers (@whodey74) November 12, 2022
Stoops and this team is about to go from #7 in the nation to 6-6. What a collapse from this team. #BBN #Kentucky
— Weston Fugate (@WFugate12) November 12, 2022
I’m old enough to remember when we thought Mark Stoops had changed the culture of Kentucky football
— Brandon Priddy (@abpriddy) November 12, 2022
I bet Mark Stoops ain’t on anyone’s radar now.
— TheCatsWagon (@NOTRogerAyers) November 12, 2022
https://twitter.com/Jsheff001/status/1591525442497945600
y’all wanted mark stoops to be auburn head coach
— maddie (@maddawgsocold) November 12, 2022
Mark Stoops has the nerve to complain about NIL and then proceeds to lose to Vanderbilt at home with a “Top 5 QB”. O-line sucks and honestly Levis has regressed injury or not. No more excuses for Stoops and Levis #BBN #Kentucky
— Weston Fugate (@WFugate12) November 12, 2022
Going to buy verification and start a mark stoops to Iowa rumor
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) November 12, 2022
Mark Stoops, losing to Vandy isn't going to get you the Auburn job. SMH.
— Big Ten information. College football fan (@Genetics56) November 12, 2022
Mark Stoops spent part of the off-season calling out his national title winning hoops coach.
He spent this week calling out his administration on NIL.
He just lost to Vanderbilt, to snap Vandy's 26-game SEC losing streak.
He deserves every bit of heat he'll get after this game
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) November 12, 2022
Mark Stoops did all the whining about Cal’s comments just to lose to South Carolina and Vanderbilt ???
— Jacob Dale White (@JWhite402) November 12, 2022
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
