Kentucky Basketball Opens 2014-15 Season at #1

First of all, let me tip my hat to the University of Kentucky football team. It's GREAT to have good football to watch as we basketball fans await the arrival of the first pre-season college hoops poll.

Seriously, the football 'Cats have been solid all season and could be hosting the nation's #1 team on October 25th when Mississippi State comes to Commonwealth Stadium. That's a distinct possibility with the Bulldogs enjoying a bye week. Naturally, it will also depend on how voters react if #2 Florida State beats #5 Notre Dame Saturday.

Nonetheless, there's FOOTBALL IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY!

Of course, it's basketball that does drive the bus in the Bluegrass State. And that blue & white Greyhound is parked at #1 on the brand new USA Today Pre-Season Coaches Poll.

It's the second year in a row Kentucky has been named the pre-season #1 on this poll. But this year's placement makes much more sense, with John Calipari coaching 9 McDonald's All-Americans and having the depth to field two completely distinct teams, each with its own sixth man.

Uh...that doesn't happen very often.

It's also not often that a team has six games on its schedule against other members of the pre-season top 10.

The Wildcats will face #5 Kansas--November 18th at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis; #10 Texas--December 5th at Rupp Arena; #6 North Carolina--December 13th also at Rupp; #9 Louisville--December 27th at the Yum! Center; and #7 Florida--February 7th in Gainesville and March 7th in Lexington.

Now, of course, there's no telling where any of those teams will be ranked at the time those games are played, but it's clear by these rankings that there is confidence that these teams should play at a high level all season.

It's a good schedule. No, it's an excellent schedule.

Now...back to football.