Josh Pate says Kentucky should rank ahead of Notre Dame, arguing the Wildcats’ résumé—not hypothetical head-to-head predictions—deserves greater weight. Kentucky leads ESPN’s strength-of-record metric and sits alone atop the SEC, yet trails Notre Dame in the Week 8 AP poll.

By the Numbers
  • Kentucky ranks No. 1 in ESPN’s strength-of-record metric.
  • UCLA and Miami rank No. 2 and No. 3 in the metric.
  • Prediction markets give Kentucky an 86% chance of winning at least 8 regular-season games.
Yes, But

Pate acknowledges that some might favor Notre Dame in a neutral-site matchup, but says projected outcomes shouldn’t outweigh teams’ actual résumés. His argument also lands amid broader debate over whether SEC teams receive more favorable treatment in polls.

State of Play
  • Kentucky is alone in first place in the SEC.
  • The Wildcats are on a bye before visiting Tennessee on Nov. 7.
What's Next

Kentucky’s trip to Tennessee will give the Wildcats another chance to strengthen their résumé—and could influence the ranking debate.

Bottom Line

Pate’s case is straightforward: rankings should reward what teams have accomplished, not what voters think might happen in a hypothetical matchup.