Now comes the hard part for Kentucky football

Kentucky hopes it can find a way to win its fifth straight game this season Saturday at Ole Miss. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Kentucky made it through the first month of the season without a blemish. Now comes the hard part.

The Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) will begin a stretch of seven straight conference games Saturday at Ole Miss in a battle of two unbeaten teams. It will be the conference opener for the Rebels and the first time the two league foes will compete as ranked opponents since 1958.

“(It’s) obviously a big game for both of us,” said Kentucky coach Mark Stoops, who added that both teams will be trying to climb the proverbial ladder in the rankings. “He’s done a fantastic job. They’re a very good, well-coached, talented football team. I imagine both of us are trying like heck to stay there or improve and that comes with winning.”

Stoops and the Wildcats are one of three conference teams ranked in the Top 10 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25. Georgia is No. 1, followed by Alabama in second and Kentucky is No. 7.

The goal for Stoops is to build on the perfect start and improve when it matters the most.

“For us, it’s a matter, and I’m sure Lane (Kiffin) feels the same way, which is, let’s try to stay there, stay where we’re at or improve,” Stoops said.

A year ago, Kentucky was perfect through the first six games before a loss at Georgia resulted in three consecutive conference setbacks, knocking the Wildcats out of contention for a first SEC East title. Despite the slide, Kentucky rebounded and closed out the season with four straight victories and carries an eight-game winning streak into Oxford on Saturday.

Believe it or not, the trip to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium will be the first for Stoops, who is winless against Ole Miss despite two close calls against the Rebels. Ole Miss won the previous two games at Kroger Field by a combined margin of four points, including a thrilling 42-41 overtime win in 2020.

“(I’m) looking forward to the trip,” Stoops said. “I’ve heard nothing but great things. I know it’ll be a great challenge. I think it’s good that we’re going there. I’ve never personally played there, which is rare being this is my 10th season in this league and I’ve never been there — that’s different.”

Four games into the season, it appears top-ranked Georgia (4-0), Kentucky (4-0) and Tennessee (4-0) are the three teams that are in the mix to compete for the East divisional title. The Wildcats won’t see either team until the end of the month when they travel to Knoxville on Oct. 29 and play host to the Bulldogs in the last conference game of the year on Nov, 19 at Kroger Field.

Following Ole Miss, Kentucky hosts South Carolina and Mississippi State back-to-back before an open date ahead of Tennessee, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Georgia.

A lot of time and games remain to be played to determine the best teams in the SEC and Georgia coach Kirby Smart knows how tough road games can be in the league. The Bulldogs are at Missouri Saturday.

“Every game is important in terms of circling the wagons and playing well. It doesn’t matter if it’s home or away,” he said. “When you play in the SEC, you have to play really well. I think when you go on the road, you take less people. And sometimes our players aren’t around their families as much like when they’re at home games.”

Let the fun begin.

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Keith Taylor is the sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com and via Twitter at keithtaylor21.