The University of Kentucky Wildcats have appeared in the AP Preseason Top 25 on five separate occasions, a testament to the program’s occasional bursts of national recognition. Their most recent placement came in 2022, when the Wildcats entered the poll at No. 20, marking the first time in more than four decades that the team received preseason acknowledgment. While the 2026 edition will leave the rankings empty, the Wildcats’ historical footprint stretches back to the early 1950s, when a series of preseason votes first put the program on the map.
Historic milestones and memorable victories
Kentucky’s most celebrated preseason moment arrived in the 1951 season, when the Wildcats earned a single first‑place vote and ultimately captured the Sugar Bowl over an undefeated Oklahoma squad. That victory propelled the team to a No. 3 final national ranking after a 11‑1 record, a feat that remains unique in the school’s history. The following year, the 1950 campaign began with a No. 13 preseason rating and quickly rose to No. 3 as the Wildcats opened with a perfect ten‑game stretch before a loss in Knoxville halted their ascent.
The 1957 season saw the Wildcats slotted at No. 20 in the preseason poll, though the year ended with a disappointing 3‑7 record under coach Blaton Collier. A decade later, the 1978 squad returned to the preseason Top 25 at No. 15 after a 10‑1 campaign that included wins over LSU and Penn State, showcasing the program’s occasional ability to translate early expectations into on‑field success.
More recently, the Wildcats have maintained a presence on the preseason radar, receiving at least one vote in 13 different seasons, including the 2023 and 2024 cycles. The 2022 team finished 7‑6, a respectable showing that underscored the program’s resilience after a 44‑year drought of preseason recognition. The following year, the poll remained empty, but the program continued to garner votes in subsequent seasons, reflecting a persistent, if intermittent, national interest.
A new era on the horizon
Enter 2026, a year that will see Will Stein take the helm as the Wildcats’ first‑time head coach. Stein succeeds Mark Stoops, who guided the team through the 2022 preseason ranking and a subsequent 7‑6 record. At the same time, quarterback Will Levis remains a focal point of the offense, aiming to build on his previous performances. Though the 2026 preseason poll will be blank, the surrounding buzz suggests that the Wildcats could once again break into the rankings, continuing a legacy that has defined the program for more than seven decades.