Where will Kentucky land in first College Football Playoff rankings?

The first set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released tonight, and Kentucky football and coach Will Stein's fate hangs in the balance. According to various projections, Kentucky could find themselves as high as No. 4 or as low as a double-digit seed. However, Miami and Georgia are locked in at first and second places. UCLA and Utah round out the top four, with their undefeated records.

Kentucky's six-game win streak, victories over LSU and South Carolina, and share of first-place in the SEC will likely secure them the fifth seed, putting them outside first-round-bye territory. A fifth seed would mean facing the 12th seed in the first round at Kroger Field, likely a Group of Six champion such as Boise State or New Mexico.

If the committee follows the US LBM Coaches Poll or the Associated Press Top 25, Kentucky might end up as the seventh or eighth seed, both of which still guarantee a home game in the first round. Seeds 9-12, the final four teams, must travel for their first-round games. Despite this, Kentucky was predicted to finish 14th in the SEC, missing the postseason for the third straight year.

This season, however, has turned out to be a memorable one for the Cats, with games remaining against Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, and Louisville providing multiple opportunities to boost their resume before the final CFP rankings are announced on December 6. Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black can be reached at rblack@gannett.com, and on X as @RyanABlack.