Rankings matter to UK players, fans and coach Mark Stoops isn’t afraid to admit it

Mark Stoops knows Kentucky fans appreciate UK's high ranking. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Thank you Mark Stoops.

How often do coaches downplay national rankings and say it is just “business as usual” for a team and the only ranking that matters is the one at the end of the season.

Not Stoops.

Kentucky is ranked No. 7 this week in the Associated Press poll — UK’s highest ranking in 45 years — going into Saturday’s game at Mississippi, the first of seven straight SEC games. After Ole Miss, Kentucky will have South Carolina and Mississippi State at home. Win all three and UK might move into the top five.

“I like it there, and I’d like it to stay there,” Stoops said about the ranking. “That’s really what’s most important.”

Say amen UK fans. But Stoops didn’t stop there.

“It helps with the fanbase and showing up and having the people there.  It helps with recruiting. It helps with your team and hopefully it motivates them to practice hard to stay that way because we know we have a very tough stretch starting here this week,” Stoops said.

Again, a coach willing to admit that the rankings impact fans, recruiting and more without worrying that it might make his team think it is too good.

“Our team is mature enough… certainly there are some young guys that still need to be taught quite a bit,” Stoops said. “The leadership of this team knows that’s fine, but it’s really about how we practice and how we prepare to get ready for a really good team and another tough challenge.”

The plus is that Kentucky has already been on the road to Florida and won for the second time in five years in Gainesville.

“Every game is different because right now we are maybe one, I think it’s one, but we’re right at the top of the league in fewest penalties, and that’s a good thing,” Stoops said. “That’s another tough challenge with going on the road, it’s a new opportunity, it’s a new game.”

“Just because we handled some of that environment fairly well in the Florida game doesn’t mean it carries over. We have to have that same level of concentration.”