Should Mark Pope be the favorite to win SEC Coach of the Year right now?

What will it take for Mark Pope to win SEC Coach of the Year?

Jan 21, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope yells to his players during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

There is no doubt that the Kentucky Wildcats have had their fair share of struggles this season. There was a point after the loss to Missouri to make the Wildcats 0-2 in SEC play that many thought Kentucky was going to miss the NCAA Tournament.

Despite some ugly early-season losses in non-conference play and two early losses in SEC play, Coach Mark Pope has his team playing some really good basketball at the most important time of the season. After the 0-2 start to SEC play Kentucky has gone 8-1 in its last nine games and currently sits right behind the Gators for first place in the SEC.

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope watches the action during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky has had players in and out of the lineup all season long, and now there is a good chance that Jayden Quaintance, Jaland Lowe, and Kam Williams all don’t suit up the rest of the year. A potential return for Quaintance and Williams is still in the cards, but most don’t see it happening.

The Wildcats are down some of the best players on this roster, yet Coach Pope continues to find ways to win in SEC play. It is time to start having the conversation about Coach Pope winning SEC Coach of the Year. More than likely, Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington and Texas A&M’s Bucky McMillan are the two names with the best odds to win this award, but their teams have not gone through what Kentucky has.

Early in the season, Coach Pope was receiving a lot of criticism, knowing the rumors that this roster cost a whopping 22 million dollars, and the Wildcats were struggling to win ball games. Coach Pope and this team have had their backs against the wall over the last few weeks and just keep finding ways to win ball games.

Jan 24, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts to the action on the court during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Perhaps Pope isn’t the name at the top of the list right now to win this award, but if he goes into Gainesville on Saturday and takes down the Florida Gators, his name needs to move to the top of the list. If the Wildcats are able to go into The Swamp and win this game, it will be a big boost for Kentucky’s chances of winning the Regular-Season SEC Title.

Obviously, Coach Pope is not one to care about personal awards, but he has done an incredible job of turning this season around with a banged-up roster, having the Wildcats right near the top of the SEC standings.