I think UK will be better next year, a notion supported by almost all on the board. The disturbing thought is that due to the SEC's toughness, I don't think UK will be bowl eligible. Here's the 2007 schedule with my estimations:

 

1-0 Sat., Sept. 1 EASTERN KENTUCKY COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

2-0 Sat., Sept. 8 Temple Philadelphia, Pa.

2-1 Sat., Sept. 15 LOUISVILLE COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

3-1 Sat., Sept. 22 FLORIDA ATLANTIC COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

3-2 Sat., Sept. 29 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.

3-3 Sat., Oct. 6 South Carolina Columbia, S.C.

3-4 Sat., Oct. 13 LSU COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

3-5 Sat., Oct. 20 FLORIDA COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

4-5 Sat., Oct. 27 MISSISSIPPI STATE COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

5-5 Sat., Nov. 10 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn.

5-6 Sat., Nov. 17 Georgia Athens, Ga.

5-7 Sat., Nov. 24 TENNESSEE COMMONWEALTH STADIUM

 

Thoughts? Is it time to drop UL for a "winnable game" to ensure bowl participation, extra practice, recruitng etc.?

Entirely possible...6 games on there could go either way, so we will just have to wait and see.

2 wins in the SEC and losing to UL...I think you have the worst-case scenario there...

Entirely possible...6 games on there could go either way, so we will just have to wait and see.

Which 6 are you seeing as tossups?

UK had everything set up last season to get to bowl-eligible. They were on a favorable rotation for SEC play (Kentucky played the bottom 2 finishers in the West while missing the top 2, and played many of their winable games at home) ; they also scheduled OOC with eligibility in mind (minus the U of L game, although several of those games were closer than I'm sure they had in mind.)

 

UK will still play a weak OOC besides the Louisville game, but the SEC schedule is unkind. I see bowl eligibility coming down to the last game against Tennessee... will this be the year UK finally beats their biggest SEC rival after so many close games?

 

We see it identically, CR.

It could be possible.

 

The 06 schedule was soft, I only see 3 for sure wins (EKU, Temple, Florida Atlantic) with 5-6 more going either way.

I think that this is without question.

Which 6 are you seeing as tossups?

I see it in a completely different light, personally, in that there are FEWER games that could go either way, compared to last year. Kentucky has a schedule where there are more games that you could nearly write in pen what the result will be (both wins and losses) than last year.

Which 6 are you seeing as tossups?

 

I don't mean tossups really. Certainly UK will be the underdog in some of these, but CAN win:

 

Louisville

Arkansas

South Carolina

Georgia

Tennessee

 

And they will play UF and/or LSU decent at home...

 

Again, they could lose all of these games or win some of them...no one can guess correctly either...even when the season starts, and especially now...

Maybe they'll get some momentum after a 4-0 start.

I think Arkansas will be weaker, but Georgia will be better than last year, and in any case I would strike them off the list along with South Carolina because UK has yet to score an SEC road upset under Brooks. Coming into this year they hadn't even won on the road in SEC play had they, so I don't think you can start underlining road contests as good chances for UK. I don't think Louisville is strictly winnable, either, I think they belong more in the catergory with UF and LSU.

I see it in a completely different light, personally, in that there are FEWER games that could go either way, compared to last year. Kentucky has a schedule where there are more games that you could nearly write in pen what the result will be (both wins and losses) than last year.

 

Sorry, you guys can write the results in pen 8 months before the season starts, and you're going to look foolish...I guess you wrote in pen last January that UK would make it to the Music City Bowl AND WIN as more than a two-score underdog...:sssh:

 

I have no faith in your pen.

Maybe they'll get some momentum after a 4-0 start.

Hope, she springs eternal.

Sorry, you guys can write the results in pen 8 months before the season starts, and you're going to look foolish...I guess you wrote in pen last January that UK would make it to the Music City Bowl AND WIN as more than a two-score underdog...:sssh:

 

I have no faith in your pen.

In my post, I pointed out that I thought last year was different. There was a large variety of opinion about what Kentucky's record would be BECAUSE of the way the schedule was set up, there were plenty of chances for you to say 'UK may not be the favorite, but being at home I think they've got a chance against South Carolina' or 'UK isn't the best team around, and it's not a for sure win, but I think they'll beat Vandy.'

 

This next year's schedule doesn't set up the same way.

Hope, she springs eternal.

 

UK will be a different team next season.

I think they win 7 games. They will win the games the original poster outlined along with South Carolina and one of UT, Arkansas, or Georgia.

 

I am optimistic.