Mark Pope isn’t ducking the smoke.
The head coach of Kentucky men’s basketball is all about taking on any would-be challengers, especially those considered to be in the top tier of competition. The Wildcats ranked third in the country last season in terms of Strength of Schedule, per KenPom, checking in behind only two other SEC programs, Alabama and Auburn, respectively. Pope and his squad came out of that season with 24 wins and the most victories against Quad 1 opponents in school history.
And yet, Kentucky’s 2025-26 schedule is shaping up to be even tougher — and that’s exactly how Pope wants it.
“We’re just so hungry to play every great game we can,” Pope told Matt Norlander this week on CBS Sports’ Summer Shootaround. “I understand that this is Kentucky, right? I think last year we fell a little short; we had the third-hardest schedule in the country. We should be number one every year. That’s something that’s really important to us. We don’t have full autonomy in how we do it, but we do the best we can because great games, that’s why we play. To play great games.”
While the SEC might not be as deeply talented as it was in 2024-25, which resulted in a record-setting 14 teams making the NCAA Tournament, there will still be plenty of postseason-caliber groups from top to bottom. Five SEC teams, not counting UK, make up ESPN’s latest Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings update — and some of them will face the ‘Cats twice this season, including twice against defending champion Florida. ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi actually thinks the SEC will repeat with 14 teams making the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Kentucky ended up finishing 10-8 in league play last season, but still earned a 3-seed in the Big Dance — the resume was plenty beefed up thanks to a rigorous schedule. The league could look similar this season, although Pope’s Wildcats will be expected to break that 10-win mark. The real challenge, however, could come before SEC action even begins.
In the non-conference, Kentucky will take on the likes of Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana, and St. John’s. Indiana is the only team not mentioned in ESPN’s latest Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings. Louisville and St. John’s will be preseason top 10 candidates. That doesn’t account for Purdue either, the nation’s preseason number one team and one of the Wildcats’ two exhibition opponents. Combining both non-conference and conference games, UK could be looking at facing over a dozen ranked opponents in 2025-26.
“I love our schedule this year,” Pope added. “We’re getting tested in major, major ways.”
The tests begin early and often. Louisville is the third game of the season, Michigan State the fifth. Ahead of the final non-conference matchup with Bellarmine, Kentucky will face Indiana and St. John’s back-to-back. The SEC schedule opens with Alabama on the road and ends with Florida coming to Rupp Arena. There will be no “trap” games on this schedule — everyone is a capable foe.
Pope can’t wait to get started, either.
“You know there is only one acceptable thing here at Kentucky, and that’s to win all the games,” Pope said. “I’m not going to undershoot the expectation here, we got to go win them all.”
