Kentucky football fans have seen 2 seasons in a row end in devastation; the Wildcats will redeem themselves with a bowl birth in 2016.
Kentucky football fans didn’t know what to expect when they hired Mark Stoops to be their football coach. Each of the past two seasons, Kentucky football fans have felt like they made a great choice to for the first half of the season. Both times, though, they’ve watched their Kentucky football team go on terrible losing streaks and lose to their rival Louisville to finish 5-7.
In 2014, Kentucky football fans saw their team get off to a 5-1 start. Their only loss was a triple OT thriller many thought they should have won. Hopes were high and fans were feeling great about Mark Stoops as their coach. They followed that hot start with an embarrassing 41-3 loss to LSU and couldn’t get back on track. The closest they came to another win was a 4 point loss to Louisville to end the season. Depression and heartbreak were common in Lexington.
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In 2015, Kentucky football fans saw their hopes grow again as their team got off to a 4-1 start. Again their only blemish was a tightly contested lost against the Florida Gators. Surely the Wildcats wouldn’t blow their season again. Except they did. Kentucky barely lost to Auburn (30-27) and continued losing 4 of the next 5 to again finish 5-7. Fans were questioning giving up their fandom. Things will change in 2016, though.
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Although the Wildcats add Alabama from the SEC West in 2016, their improvements and favorable schedule will allow the Wildcats to finally reach bowl eligibility once again. The SEC East is down right now and the Wildcats should at least be able to win 3 against the SEC East. Combine those with 3 (Southern Miss, New Mexico State, Austin Peay) out of conference games that should be easy wins, and Kentucky football will once again be bowling in 2016. They won’t be world-beaters, but Kentucky football fans will once again be confident in their choice to hire Stoops.