Kentucky has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 college football season under first-year head coach Will Stein.
The Wildcats are 6-1 overall and 4-1 in SEC play, putting themselves firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation heading into the back half of the regular season.
Stein has quickly changed the mood around Lexington, with Kentucky picking up impressive wins over Texas A&M, South Carolina, and LSU, before going to Oklahoma last weekend and edging out the Sooners 21-13. Their recent stretch of wins is proof that Stein's aggressive approach is paying off, and their strong start to the season has them No. 12 in the latest AP poll.
Stein has also made his feelings clear about the proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, recently pushing back against critics who believe a larger playoff field would make regular-season games less meaningful.
"Everybody said the games aren't going to matter. Really? I think that's a really lame take, to be honest. As far as I know, every game in college football is going to matter," Stein said. "You telling me you wouldn't want a playoff game at Kroger Field? I think those takes are bad."
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CFP expansion has been in the headlines again over the last couple of weeks with the postseason again looking to from a 12-team format to 24 teams, potentially starting as soon as 2027. The proposal has generated plenty of debate among coaches, analysts, and fans, with a large percentage of people pushing back against the expansion.
Fans of the expansion believe a larger bracket would give more teams a realistic shot at a national championship, reward strong seasons, and create more meaningful games in December. Critics, however, worry that too many teams would qualify, devaluing losses during the regular season and making some of the biggest matchups feel less consequential.
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Stein has made his stance clear, arguing that those concerns overlook what makes college football special. Even with more playoff spots available, teams would still be fighting for better seeding, home-field advantage, and the chance to avoid elimination. For a program like Kentucky, the potential benefits are obvious.
A 24-team format would make the Wildcats a lock this season to make the postseason, and potentially even host a playoff game in Lexington. With the current 12-team format, there's still work to be done just for Kentucky to make the playoffs.
They'll face Vanderbilt at home on Saturday before going to No. 11 Tennessee, hosting No. 20 Florida, and traveling to No. 22 Missouri, before closing out their regular season against rival Louisville. The reality is that even losing one of those games could be enough to see them miss out on the CFP this year.