What a Crazy College Football Season

More high drama this weekend, as Central Florida knocked off B.Y.U. 39-31 in double overtime to take the Unofficial College Football Championship.  I'm pretty sure that this is the first time the Golden Knights have held the Big Trophy.

Meanwhile, in the SEC, the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 34-17 to take first place in the SEC all by themselves.  Here are the current standings with AP rankings in parentheses:

(9) Kentucky:  5-1, 7-1

(3) Georgia:  4-1, 6-1

(10) Alabama:  4-2, 6-2

(15)  Louisiana St:  3-2, 6-2

(16)  Tennessee:  3-2, 6-2

(17) Florida:  3-2, 5-2

(12) Mississippi:  3-2, 5-2

Missouri:  2-2, 5-2

(11) Texas:  2-2, 5-2

Oklahoma:  2-2, 4-3

Auburn:  2-3, 4-3

Mississippi St:  2-3, 4-3

S. Carolina:  2-3, 4-3

Arkansas:  1-3, 3-4

Texas A & M:  1-4, 4-4

Vanderbilt:  0-5, 3-5

The Cats have a loss to Alabama, and SEC wins over Texas A & M, South Carolina, Louisiana St., Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt.  They have a bye this week, and then they head to Knoxville on November 7 for the most important game any UK team has played in my lifetime.

List of UK Basketball Coaches since 1930

1930-1972:  Adolph Rupp:  876-190 (.823) (1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966)

1972-1985:  Joe B. Hall:  297-100 (.748) (1975, 1978, 1984)

1985-1989:  Eddie Sutton:  88-39 (.693)

1989-1997:  Rick Pitino:  219-50 (.814) (1993, 1996, 1997)

1997-2007:  Tubby Smith:  268-83 (.760) (1998)

2007-2009:  Billy Gillispie:  40-27 (.597)

2009-2024:  John Calipari:  410-122 (.774) (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)

2024-2026:  Mark Pope:  46-26 (.639)

Total since 1930:  2,244-637 (.779) (17 final fours) (8 national championships)

Month of MLB: World Series Game One

This will be the first World Series since 1980 (Phillies v. Royals) where neither team has ever won the Fall Classic.  Whoever wins the World Series will become the first first-time winner since Texas in 2023.  Here are the latest odds to win the World Series:

Milwaukee:  -182

Tampa Bay:  +156

I'm going to pick the Brewers in six.

The AP Preseason Men's Basketball Has Been Released

Teams of interest to UK fans:

1.  Florida

2.  Duke

7.  Texas

8.  Tennessee

11.  Louisville

12.  Arkansas

13.  St. John's

17.  Kansas

20.  Alabama

23.  Kentucky

24.  Vanderbilt

25.  Brigham Young

I predict that when the NCAA Tournament begins, UK will be unranked and Vandy will be in the top 20.

Classic SEC Football Standings (according to the CBS Rankings)

It's really close at the top:

4.  Georgia:  6-1

8.  Mississippi:  5-1

10.  Tennessee:  6-1

12.  Alabama:  5-2

13.  Kentucky:  6-1

18.  Louisiana St:  5-2

24.  Florida:  5-2

25.  Mississippi St:   4-2

30.  Auburn:  4-2

76.  Georgia Tech:  2-4

88.  Vanderbilt:  3-4

95.  Tulane:  3-3