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247Sports Releases SEC Football Win Projections, Not Buying Into Kentucky

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

It is February and the sports world is starting to aim its focus on college basketball, but that doesn’t mean it is too early for some college football projections. Earlier this week, Brad Crawford of 247Sports released his win projections for every team in the SEC.

With Liam Coen back as offensive coordinator, bringing in Devin Leary to pair with some explosive and young talent, the Kentucky Wildcats are hoping to improve on a 7-6 season. Yet Crawford is not buying in, giving Kentucky the fourth-lowest win projection in the conference at 6.5 wins.

Here is their reasoning:

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“Kentucky gets an entire month of football to work in NC State transfer quarterback Devin Leary as the team’s new starter under Liam Coen, who has returned to the Bluegrass to call plays.

The Wildcats should be at least a touchdown favorite in every contest until Florida comes to Lexington to end the first month on Sept. 30. The final five weeks of the season will determine Kentucky’s fate. Those matchups include Tennessee, at Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina and Louisville on the road.”

This projection may seem low based on the fact that the Wildcats have won at least seven games in six of the last seven seasons, with the exception being a 2020 season (5-6) where ten conference games were played. However, they will play one of the toughest schedules in the country next season.

Headlined by assumed losses to Alabama and Georgia, Kentucky will only be a heavy favorite in four games, interestingly their first four games of the season – Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Akron, and Vanderbilt. The most difficult part of evaluating the outlook on the season is the number of 50/50 games on the schedule, mentioned by Crawford, such as Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee among others.

With that said, Mark Stoops and Co have excelled when an underdog and the Wildcats will look to exceed expectations once again.

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Here is a look at what the projections look like for the rest of the SEC.

Georgia: 11.5 wins
Alabama: 10.5 wins
Tennessee: 9 wins
LSU: 9 wins
Texas A&M: 7.5 wins
Auburn Tigers: 7.5 wins
South Carolina: 7.5 wins
Arkansas: 7 wins
Ole Miss: 7 wins
Florida: 6.5 wins
Mississippi State: 6 wins
Missouri: 5.5 wins
Vanderbilt: 4 wins

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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Football

Running Back Revamp: Kentucky Adds Former Oklahoma, New Mexico State Transfer

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New Mexico State University Athletics

The Wildcats bolstered their backfield with the addition of former Oklahoma and New Mexico State running back Seth McGowan on April 20, per KSR’s Nick Roush.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, McGowan brings size and downhill power to Kentucky’s offense. Coming off a productive season at New Mexico State, he rushed for 823 yards and three touchdowns while adding 23 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores through the air.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2019, McGowan originally signed with Oklahoma and logged 370 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 201 receiving yards with one touchdown during his lone season with the Sooners.

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On May 7, 2021, McGowan was removed from Oklahoma following his involvement in a legal case in which he was arrested and charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The charges were ultimately dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to larceny from a person at nighttime in December of that year.

After a stint at NAIA school Texas College in 2022, where he did not see game action, McGowan continued his path back to Division I football, playing six games with Butler Community College before transferring to New Mexico State for the 2024 season.

Now, with his past behind him, McGowan has a chance to turn the page and contribute in a major way to the Wildcats’ offense.

Running backs coach Jay Boulware, who helped Oklahoma sign McGowan out of high school, likely played a role in bringing him to Kentucky, where he is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Along with Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell, McGowan could be a part of a versatile and punishing backfield tandem for the Wildcats. While Dowdell brings a physical, downhill rushing style, McGowan’s ability to contribute in both the run and pass game adds a dynamic layer to offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s pro-style system, which emphasizes balance and explosive playmaking.

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Jamon Dumas-Johnson: A NFL Draft Steal

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Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson (2) makes the sign of the cross while taking a knee before the game.
Carter Skaggs | Imagn

Before he transferred to Kentucky, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was an All-American at Georgia, with waves to at least test the NFL draft after winning a National Championship. However, with the decision to play his last collegiate season as a Wildcat, Dumas-Johnson was a cornerstone piece for the Kentucky defense, finishing the season with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his 11 starts for the team. 

His athleticism spoke volumes at Kentucky football’s NFL pro day, where current NFL draft boards now list the linebacker as one of the best athletes at the position and has earned himself a “top 10” feel ahead of the draft. Before pro day, publications such as Bleacher Report had him listed as No. 13 at his position. 

Dumas-Johnson proved himself with the highest vertical jump (37.5) and the longest broad jump (10.60) out of the Wildcats who competed in said events, and ran an impressive best 4.50 40-yard dash. At 245 pounds, he also managed to press 16 reps of 225, which could technically be “better” compared to NFL standards, but is impressive nonetheless in hindsight.

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At 23 years old, this linebacker exploits explosiveness, agility and can hawk down any playmaker on the field. Out the 31 NFL teams that attended the event (a Cleveland Browns representative did not attend), one will be getting a prize steal of the draft with Dumas-Johnson. 

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Alex Raynor: A Rare Gem In This Year’s NFL Draft

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Kentucky Wildcats place kicker Alex Raynor (16) lines up a kick.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Alex Raynor had an illustrious season for Kentucky last year, being named to First-Team All-SEC, as a finalist for the Lou Groza award and as SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

As the record holder for the longest field goal in program history, and arguably one of, if not the, most consistent kickers to ever be a Wildcat, Raynor now looks to the NFL Draft in the next chapter of his book. 

Recently, at Kentucky football’s NFL Pro Day on Tuesday, March 11, Raynor kicked off the event with his workout. 

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Although he would miss a routine kick for him inside of the 45, he would continue to move back, nailing a 55-yard kick and nearly making a 60-yard kick. 

The best moments of his workout came when Raynor would line up behind the UK logo inside of Nutter Field House and would nail a 65-yard field goal.

That, although it’s an indoor kick and is not faced with the NFL pressure, would be one of the longest field goals in NFL history. 

Historically, it’s extremely rare for kickers to be drafted any higher than the 6th, more commonly going in the late rounds on the third day. 

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However, Raynor would hold as one of the rare occasions to go higher than projected, due to his historic year as a Wildcat.

Wherever the young man from Georgia ends up in the pros, don’t be surprised if you hear his name every reoccurring Sunday.

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