Kentucky has toughest remaining schedule in college basketball

According to ESPN, Kentucky has the toughest remaining schedule in all of college basketball.

Jan 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts to the action on the court during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Kentucky Wildcats have had a rough season so far, just 11-6 on the season and 2-2 in the SEC. But, they are coming off of a win over LSU in which they hope it ends up as the big turning point of the season. To do that, though, it is going to be a tough road to get through and rack up some wins.

Just how tough is it? Not only do the Wildcats have four of their next six games on the road, but they are against some very stiff competition. So much so, Kentucky basketball has the toughest remaining schedule in college basketball, according to ESPN BPI analytics. Mark Pope's squad's next four road games are all against ranked teams, including #24 Tennessee, #10 Vanderbilt, #17 Arkansas, and #19 Florida.

The SEC has 16 of the top 19 toughest remaining schedules in college basketball (per ESPN BPI):

• No. 1 Kentucky
• No. 2 Purdue
• No. 3 Vanderbilt
• No. 4 Arkansas
• No. 5 Oklahoma
• No. 6 South Carolina
• No. 7 Georgia
• No. 8 Mississippi State
• No. 9 Tennessee
• No.…

— Blake Lovell (@theblakelovell) January 16, 2026

Kentucky basketball obviously needs some wins, because they are on the bubble in NCAA Tournament projections, and right now, are 2-5 in Quad 1 opportunities. They need more quality wins, and there will plenty more opportunities moving forward. The Wildcats are in a postion where they are likely to be fluctuating on and off the bubble from now on, and getting some resume-boosting wins is a must. It seems like the sweet spot for the Wildcats to get in is picking up a good amount of wins, and that includes more Quad 1 wins. They will have plenty of chances moving forward the rest of the season. KenPom currently projects the Wildcats to finish 9-9 in the SEC, finishing eighth in the conference. The SEC is a very tight race, and where Kentucky does end up finishing not only depends on how many wins they get, but also how others around them end up doing as well.

Let's take a look at Kentucky's full remaining schedule:

Jan 17: @ Tennessee

Jan. 21: Texas

Jan. 24: Ole Miss

Jan. 27: @ Vanderbilt

Jan. 31: @ Arkansas

Feb. 4: Oklahoma

Feb. 7: Tennessee

Feb. 14: @ Florida

Feb. 17: Georgia

Feb. 21: @ Auburn

Feb. 24: @ South Carolina

Feb. 28: Vanderbilt

Mar. 3: @ Texas A&M

Mar. 7: Florida

As of now, Kentucky basketball has eight games against ranked conference foes left on the schedule, although that can change from week-to-week. Either way, the Wildcats have plenty of opportunities ahead, but it really is a tough road for a team that needs more quality wins.