Mark Zerof/USA Today Sports
The staff agrees: Seven wins and a bowl.
Alex Forkner, Staff Writer: 7-5. For the first time in a long time, Kentucky will win six games, plus one for good measure. New OC Shannon Dawson fine tunes a more experienced offense, achieving the balance and consistency that eluded the Cats at times last season. The defense continues to improve in Mark Stoops' third year at the helm, though depth concerns and young understudies mean UK still has its struggles stopping SEC offenses. But the progress made will be enough for Kentucky to notch three season-defining wins over Florida, Tennessee and Louisville and earn the first bowl Berth under Stoops
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: 7-5. Kentucky's going to be improved this season, despite some key losses on defense. Offense will have 2007 like production and Patrick Towles will have a decision to make after the season on his professional future. Mark Stoops needs to cancel his holiday plans because the Cats are going bowling.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: 7-5. When you look at the schedule it's easy to get caught up imagining the spread before each game. Really, how UK's season plays out will be determined in a much more simple way. If the offense reaches maturation and achieves a degree of competence that Mark Stoops and Shannon Dawson feel it can, the team can be significantly improved and, yes, good enough to surprise a lot of people across the SEC. There will still be growing pains and the product will not always look pretty, but I'll call for 7-5 with the Cats winning all four outside the league along with three SEC games.
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