After the preseason AP Poll was released on Monday afternoon, the media in the SEC released their predicted order of finish as well as the All-SEC preseason teams. Basketball season is almost here, and it sounds like Mark Pope will have plenty to prove in his first season in Lexington.

The media ranked the Wildcats a little low in the predicted order of finish in the conference, as they have them finishing 8th in the conference this season. Alabama is projected to win the SEC Championship, and they are followed in the predicted finish in order by Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Florida, and Texas, with the Wildcats falling right behind that pack of teams. Behind Kentucky is Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, LSU, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt.

In all fairness, this ranking does align with the preseason AP Poll, which has seven teams in front of Kentucky in the top 25. That’s to begin the season, but media in the SEC predicts the Wildcats to finish 8th in the conference, not necessarily start at that position. Either way, there is a lot for Kentucky to build on this season, and with as loaded as the conference is expected to be, that’s just another chip on the shoulder for Mark Pope in his first tenure at Kentucky. The players seem to be up for the challenge, and many of of them have said they understood what they signed up for.

Mark Pope and the Wildcats will have a chip on their shoulder this season.