In year 3, Mark Pope has a favorable setup for UK's biggest rivalry games

As Mark Pope pointed out at his introductory news conference, his main assignment as Kentucky men’s basketball coach is restoring the Wildcat program to championship level.

Though less vital than job one, Pope’s secondary responsibility to the Big Blue Nation is to win more than Kentucky’s share of games against the teams UK fans dislike the most.

Through two seasons, Pope has held his own against UK ‘s main rivals. In 16 rivalry games, Pope has led Kentucky to nine victories, although he fared better in such contests in his first season (5-2) than his second (4-5).

For 2026-27, the good news for Pope is that UK’s rivalry games appear to set up more favorably for the Wildcats than they did last year.

Before we get to that, a clarifying note: The list of teams that qualify as Kentucky’s primary rivals is a living document that changes over time. Presently, there are eight teams that qualify.

Duke, Kansas and North Carolina are rivals to UK because they are Kentucky’s peers among men’s college basketball’s “blue-blood” programs.

Indiana, Louisville and Tennessee are UK rivals because of geographic proximity and shared history.

Florida is now a rival to the Cats because it has emerged as the 21st Century’s top threat to Kentucky’s traditional status as SEC men’s hoops kingpin.

Arkansas makes the UK rivals’ list because it employs Kentucky’s immediate-past head coach.

In Pope’s first season as top Cat in 2024-25, Kentucky beat Duke on a neutral court; outlasted Louisville at Rupp Arena; won a shootout with eventual NCAA champion Florida at Rupp; and swept the home/road series with Tennessee.

However, both of Pope’s rivalry defeats in his debut season were consequential. In ex-UK coach John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena as boss Hog, the Cats fell to Arkansas 89-79.

Subsequently, in the most significant men’s hoops contest Kentucky has ever played against its ancient rival Tennessee, it received a 78-65 thrashing from the Volunteers in the NCAA Tournament round of 16.

Last year’s tally in rivalry games saw Kentucky defeat visiting Indiana in the resumption of what had been a dormant series; travel to Fayetteville and avenge the previous season’s loss to Calipari; and again sweep the two-game season series with Tennessee.

However, UK played poorly in a road loss at Louisville; suffered a come-from-ahead home defeat against North Carolina; and lost three times to Florida - on the road, at home and in the SEC Tournament.

The rivalry stakes for Mark Pope

UK under Pope is 1-1 vs. Arkansas; 1-0 against Duke; 1-3 vs. Florida; 1-0 against Indiana; 0-0 vs. Kansas; 1-1 vs. Louisville; 0-1 vs. North Carolina; and 4-1 against Tennessee.

Of the nine rivalry games Kentucky played last season, four were at Rupp Arena, four were on the road and one was a neutral-site meeting.

This year, UK will start the season with eight rivalry games - three at home, three neutral-site contests and only two on the road.

The Wildcats will have home games vs. Arkansas, Louisville and Tennessee. UK will face Indiana, Kansas and North Carolina at neutral sites.

UK will play only two of its main rivals on the road - at Tennessee and at Florida.

In theory, fewer true road contests is why the setup to Kentucky’s rivalry games should be more favorable in the coming season.

This will be the main 2026-27 storyline for Pope and Kentucky against each of UK’s primary rivals:

• Arkansas: In “Calipari Bowl III,” can the Wildcats this time protect their home court from the wrath of Cal?

• Duke: If UK and the Blue Devils meet in 2026-27, it will be in the NCAA Tournament. The teams are not scheduled to play in the regular season.

• Florida: After losing three times to UF last season, Kentucky will seek to get its swag back in Gainesville vs. a Florida team that should enter 2026-27 as the NCAA championship favorite.

• Indiana: Facing the Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium will give UK another chance to overcome its recent “Indianapolis hex.”

• Kansas: After losing to KU in the recruiting battle for Tyran Stokes, UK will face the lavishly-hyped freshman forward in the Champions Classic in Chicago. Bill Self (9-6 vs. the Cats) will try to become only the 14th coach all-time with double-digit victories over Kentucky.

• Louisville: Pope will seek to prevent Pat Kelsey from leading U of L to its first win over UK at Rupp Arena since Billy Gillispie was roaming the Kentucky sideline in 2007-08.

• North Carolina: After losing vs. UNC last season at Rupp, Kentucky will attempt to avenge that defeat against the Tar Heels and their new head man, former NBA head coach Michael Malone, in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden.

• Tennessee: Pope will seek to extend his regular-season mastery over Rick Barnes.

In what shapes up as a pivotal season for Pope’s UK tenure, Kentucky taking advantage of a rivalry game setup that is heavy on home and neutral-site contests is vital.

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