Friday, January 9, 2009

Kentucky gets Top 25 votes — and Vanderbilt doesn't?


From the you-gotta-be-freaking-kidding-me department:

Kentucky got three votes in the final USA Today poll, which means at least one coach (probably Rich Brooks) voted for the Wildcats, who finish No. 37 in the nation if you count out their place.

Vanderbilt got no votes.

Let's compare the two teams:

Final record:
• Kentucky: 7-6
• Vanderbilt: 7-6

Bowl result:
• Kentucky beat unranked East Carolina
• Vanderbilt beat No. 24 Boston College

SEC record:
• Kentucky: 2-5
• Vanderbilt: 4-4

SEC ranking:
• Kentucky: No. 9 (tie with Auburn and Arkansas, ranked behind Tennessee)
• Vanderbilt: No. 5 (tie with South Carolina, ranked ahead on LSU)

Wins over teams ranked or receiving votes in final polls:
• Kentucky: None
• Vanderbilt: Three (Rice, Ole Miss, Kentucky)

Regular season wins over bowl teams:
• Kentucky: None
• Vanderbilt: Four (South Carolina, Rice, Ole Miss, Kentucky)

Oh yeah, and the score from the Nov. 15 game in Lexington:
• Kentucky 24
• Vanderbilt 31

Here's how SEC teams fared in the final AP and USA Today polls, in order of SEC wins:
1. Florida (13-1, 8-1): No. 1 (AP), No. 1 (USA Today)
2. Alabama (12-2, 8-1): No. 6, No. 6
3. Georgia (10-3, 6-2): No. 13, No. 10
4. Ole Miss (9-4, 5-3): No. 14, No. 15
5. Vanderbilt (7-6, 4-4): NR, NR
5. South Carolina (7-6, 4-4): NR, NR
7. LSU (8-5, 3-5): No. 28, No. 28
7. Tennessee (5-7, 3-5): NR, NR
9. Kentucky (7-6, 2-6): NR, No. 37
9. Arkansas (5-7, 2-6): NR, NR
9. Auburn (5-7, 2-6): NR, NR
12. Miss State (4-8, 2-6): NR, NR

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Sagarin rankings for what its worth, have Vanderbilt # 39 and Kentucky # 49.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

That sounds about right. Hey Greg, how was your trip to the Music City Bowl?

Anything but Gatorade said...

Probably not fair, but we know how the AP works. Not that it should count, but Kentucky's wins over top 25 teams the past couple years probably helped.

Dimon - any chance you want to help me out on my site? I need someone to post a "Stuff Black and Gold People Like" entry, and I'm not convinced the guys at VSL or WYW will do it.

Anonymous said...

It gets worse. RealTime RPI is now ranking Vanderbilt lower than not one, not two, not three, but four teams the Commies beat (Mississippi, Rice, Boston College and South Carolina). How in hell can the Commies rank TWENTY PLACES behind a team they beat LAST WEEK?

www.realtimerpi.com/football/ncaaf_Men.html

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Wow. That's ridiculous.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Hey Anything But, I don't mind whipping up something. How do you want me to do it? dkh

Anonymous said...

Our trip was great. I took the wife and kids(ages 10,8 adn 4). It was pretty cold but they had a blast and will cry to go back from here on out! We stayed at the Hilton Suites in Brentwood, where we stayed for the GA Homecoming game a few years ago, kids love the indoor heated pool and hot tub.

DIMON KENDRICK-HOLMES said...

Glad to hear you had a good time. My kids are about the ages of yours (12,10,8,6). We took a grill and tailgated next to the stadium in one of the Titans lots. Like you said, it was very cold but everybody had a good time.