Kentucky has plummeted down ESPN's rankings after the loss to Louisville

Kentucky is falling in the rankings after the Louisville loss.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope watches as the Cards go up on Kentucky in the first half during the UofL-UK annual rivalry game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Nov. 11, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday really put a damper on the start of the season, as the Wildcats struggled in this game. They were able to mount a comeback to make this game interesting late in the second half but fell quite short.

This game has raised some red flags about the Wildcats to the national media. ESPN's Jeff Brozello dropped the Wildcats all the way from nine down to 15 after the ugly loss.

Here is what Borzello had to say about ranking the Wildcats 15th in his latest college basketball power rankings: "The best defender on Kentucky's roster has yet to suit up, with Jayden Quaintance still out after last February's ACL injury, and the Wildcats' deficiencies in that department were exposed by Louisville on Tuesday. It was just far too easy for the Cardinals to get open looks or get to the free-throw line. The Wildcats aren't a defense that forces turnovers, and they don't offer elite rim protection without Quaintance, which allowed Louisville to dictate the terms at that end of the court. The Cardinals ended up scoring more than 1.25 points per possession."

Now, to make matters worse, in practice on Thursday, Kentucky point guard Jaland Lowe reinjured his shoulder, so it is still to be seen how long he will be off the floor for the Wildcats.

Kentucky Wildcats guard Jaland Lowe (15) celebrates his score in the first half during the UofL-UK annual rivalry game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Nov. 11, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's hard to be mad at Borzello for dropping the Wildcats in the rankings, knowing they have not played at an elite level so far this season. The good news is this team has a long while before it needs to peak, but Pope has his work cut out for him.

One of the concerns for Kentucky is how Otega Oweh has been playing for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Preseason SEC Player of the Year has not been good early in the season, and he needs to get rolling. Oweh had his worst game in a Kentucky uniform on Tuesday when the Wildcats lost to rival Louisville.

Kentucky obviously has a lot of elite talent, and they are going to get everything squared away before the month of March rolls around. Don't hit the panic button on Pope and this team quite yet.

The Wildcats were able to get the bounce back win over Eastern Illinois but the injury to Lowe has really tampered the upside of this team. If he is going to be out for a long time or the entire season it hurts Pope's team. A win over Michigan State could help Kentucky climb back up these rankings.