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Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
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C2__ Online
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Post: #1
Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
This is simply astounding.

Heck, while we're at it, we'll throw in Indiana? Have they ever been better at football than basketball?
11-06-2026 11:47 AM
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Back in the 80’s it was common knowledge in Lexington that football would never be allowed to surpass basketball at Kentucky. Not sure about now but I don’t see anything that’s changed.

As recently as 4 years ago Calipari and Stoops were publicly feuding about the same subject.

https://sports.yahoo.com/kentuckys-john-...09094.html

Stoops had Kentucky where it is now multiple times and we saw how that turned out.
11-06-2026 11:59 AM
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The Beaver Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Nope, and they won't be this year either.
11-06-2026 12:04 PM
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AssKickingChicken Online
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(11-06-2026 11:59 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Back in the 80’s it was common knowledge in Lexington that football would never be allowed to surpass basketball at Kentucky. Not sure about now but I don’t see anything that’s changed.

As recently as 4 years ago Calipari and Stoops were publicly feuding about the same subject.

https://sports.yahoo.com/kentuckys-john-...09094.html

Stoops had Kentucky where it is now multiple times and we saw how that turned out.

I wouldn’t say multiple times. His two best records were two years of 10-3 and 5-3 in the SEC. After that he went 8-5 once and 7-6 a bunch. Overall record was 82-80 overall and 43-68 in the SEC. Pretty mediocre but acceptable at Kentucky.
11-06-2026 12:38 PM
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darkdragon99 Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Gotta wait to make such a statement. Kentucky has 3 ranked opponents in their next 3 games. They need to go at least 2-1 to claim they are legit. If they go 1-2 or 0-3 then nah, same old Kentucky.
(This post was last modified: 11-06-2026 12:42 PM by darkdragon99.)
11-06-2026 12:41 PM
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(11-06-2026 12:38 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  I wouldn’t say multiple times. His two best records were two years of 10-3 and 5-3 in the SEC. After that he went 8-5 once and 7-6 a bunch. Overall record was 82-80 overall and 43-68 in the SEC. Pretty mediocre but acceptable at Kentucky.

Stoops was 7-1 at the same point in 2018. He was 6-1 in 2014. Stein has started strong. Let’s see how he finishes.

Don’t get me wrong I’m happy for the young man. I have a ball telling Kentucky fans it took a Louisville guy to make Kentucky football a winner.03-lmfao
11-06-2026 01:32 PM
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EdwordL Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Wouldn't we have to go back to see what Kentucky FB was like before Rupp got there?
11-06-2026 03:19 PM
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(11-06-2026 03:19 PM)EdwordL Wrote:  Wouldn't we have to go back to see what Kentucky FB was like before Rupp got there?

That’s a good point.

The story I have heard since I was old enough to remember is Kentucky gave Rupp a Cadillac and Bryant a watch for the season each had in 1950.

Some say it happened. Others claim Bryant was joking when he used it as a reason for leaving Kentucky.

UK going 11-1 in football and winning the NCAA basketball championship in the same season is a nice high water mark.
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Bluegrass80 Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Stein's dad played for UK and was a big UK fan but he went to Louisville because UK's incompetent coach Joker Phillips didn't let him walk-on.
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Bear Catlett Online
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Having grown up in the Indiana part of the Cincinnati tri state area neck deep in both fan bases I am 100% qualified to answer this question.

And the answer is… hail no.

Indiana considered it a success if they beat Purdue once a decade. I’m not even sure if they know how to process what is going on now.

And half those hilljacks in the blue sweatshirts that only cover half their guts didn’t even know UK had a football team. If you asked them in football season who Kentuckys coach was they’d say Joe B Hall.

Back me up on this Cardinal Jim.
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(11-06-2026 12:04 PM)The Beaver Wrote:  Nope, and they won't be this year either.

Indiana football will never surpass basketball. - everyone in the world ca. 2024
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bill dazzle Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Perhaps a better question:

Has there been a season during which the combo of Indiana/Kentucky football was better than the combo of Kentucky/Indiana basketball?

I would think not.

So this could be the year.
Yesterday 10:58 AM
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bill dazzle Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Yesterday 10:47 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  
(11-06-2026 12:04 PM)The Beaver Wrote:  Nope, and they won't be this year either.

Indiana football will never surpass basketball. - everyone in the world ca. 2024

I have followed Indiana men's basketball somewhat closely since 1987. I simply can't foresee Hoosier football ever being more successful and popular than IU hoops on a consistent basis.
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Yesterday 09:11 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Having grown up in the Indiana part of the Cincinnati tri state area neck deep in both fan bases I am 100% qualified to answer this question.

And the answer is… hail no.

Indiana considered it a success if they beat Purdue once a decade. I’m not even sure if they know how to process what is going on now.

And half those hilljacks in the blue sweatshirts that only cover half their guts didn’t even know UK had a football team. If you asked them in football season who Kentuckys coach was they’d say Joe B Hall.

Back me up on this Cardinal Jim.

Nothing but the truth from Bear Catlett..,
Kentucky fans usually stop showing up for games whenever basketball season started.

In 2005 I traveled over to Lexington for the season opener against Kentucky. Louisville was up 28-7 at half. Kentucky made a good comeback and scored with about 12 minutes left to trail 31-24.

With Louisville punting with about 8 minutes left half the crowd gets up to leave. I was setting next to a Kentucky fan and asked him where’s everyone going?. “Oh they’re just trying to beat the traffic”. Louisville got the ball back, ran the clock out and won 31-24. Kentucky was getting the ball back with a chance to tie the game against their most hated rival who was ranked #12 at the time and Kentucky fans got up and left.

Kentucky fans don’t do football well. It’s just not part of their DNA. Remember they stormed the field in a loss to LSU a few years ago :lmfao:
(This post was last modified: Today 06:23 AM by CardinalJim.)
Yesterday 09:59 PM
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
As a side note, Tennessee just beat Kentucky 34-6.
That’s the Kentucky I remember.

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of Kentucky football making the college football playoffs nonsense. 03-lmfao



(This post was last modified: Yesterday 10:14 PM by CardinalJim.)
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The Beaver Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Yesterday 10:47 AM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  
(11-06-2026 12:04 PM)The Beaver Wrote:  Nope, and they won't be this year either.

Indiana football will never surpass basketball. - everyone in the world ca. 2024

Never say never but today is a never day.
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Scoochpooch1 Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Yesterday 10:07 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  As a side note, Tennessee just beat Kentucky 34-6.
That’s the Kentucky I remember.

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of Kentucky football making the college football playoffs nonsense. 03-lmfao




It was all smoke and mirrors. This day and other losses are inevitable. But I at least they are competing now.
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
Indiana football could win the National Championship this year, the next and the year after that and football would still never surpass basketball in the Hoosier State. Culturally basketball in Indiana is similar to football in Texas.

12 of the 13 biggest high school basketball gymnasiums in the US are in Indiana.

https://robslink.com/SAS/democd103/large...l_gyms.htm

I tried to think of something that might help someone who has never experienced basketball in the State of Indiana understand. The “bus scene” from Hoosiers does a pretty good job.

https://clip.cafe/hoosiers-1986/howd-father-get-job/

As much as loudmouth Cignetti might think he’s changing Indiana he’s not. He’ll be dead and buried and IU basketball will still be bigger.
(This post was last modified: Today 06:57 AM by CardinalJim.)
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Today 06:48 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Indiana football could win the National Championship this year, the next and the year after that and football would still never surpass basketball in the Hoosier State. Culturally basketball in Indiana is similar to football in Texas.

12 of the 13 biggest high school basketball gymnasiums in the US are in Indiana.

https://robslink.com/SAS/democd103/large...l_gyms.htm

I tried to think of something that might help someone who has never experienced basketball in the State of Indiana understand. The “bus scene” from Hoosiers does a pretty good job.

https://clip.cafe/hoosiers-1986/howd-father-get-job/

As much as loudmouth Cignetti might think he’s changing Indiana he’s not. He’ll be dead and buried and IU basketball will still be bigger.

03-lmfao The barber shop scene in Hoosiers is also 100% accurate.
Today 08:39 AM
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CardinalJim Offline
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RE: Has Kentucky ever been better at football than it is/was at basketball before?
(Today 08:39 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  
(Today 06:48 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Indiana football could win the National Championship this year, the next and the year after that and football would still never surpass basketball in the Hoosier State. Culturally basketball in Indiana is similar to football in Texas.

12 of the 13 biggest high school basketball gymnasiums in the US are in Indiana.

https://robslink.com/SAS/democd103/large...l_gyms.htm

I tried to think of something that might help someone who has never experienced basketball in the State of Indiana understand. The “bus scene” from Hoosiers does a pretty good job.

https://clip.cafe/hoosiers-1986/howd-father-get-job/

As much as loudmouth Cignetti might think he’s changing Indiana he’s not. He’ll be dead and buried and IU basketball will still be bigger.

03-lmfao The barber shop scene in Hoosiers is also 100% accurate.



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