The 2025-2026 Kentucky Wildcats season has been a wild ride. Mark Pope now faces the challenge of getting the team back on track before SEC play begins, or things could unravel quickly.

CBS Sports has updated their top-25 programs in college hoops, and the Kentucky Wildcats are officially on the outside looking in.

The No. 11 Gonzaga Bulldogs and 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats clash Friday in Nashville, Tennessee, with tip-off at 7 p.m. ET.

The pressure is on for Mark Pope after Kentucky fell to 5-4 with a 35-point loss to Gonzaga

The 55-year-old head coach talked about Wilson's ability to affect the game in a multitude of ways.

Kentucky has fired Mark Stoops, the winningest coach in program history, after 13 seasons. Here's a look at why the Wildcats made the move:

Gonzaga is coming off a 40-point loss in the Players' Era Festival title game against No. 3 Michigan. Before that, the Bulldogs got off to a 7-0 start with wins over Creighton, Arizona State, Alabama and Maryland on their résumé. Entering this weekend, Kentucky is the final-ranked opponent (currently) remaining on Gonzaga's schedule.

Former Kentucky football head coach Mark Stoops penned an emotional goodbye statement to the everyone associated with Kentucky and the fans.

Former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein was hired to lead Kentucky football and replace program's all-time winningest coach Mark Stoops.

On Friday night, December 5th, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, the Kentucky Wildcats fell to the Gonzaga Bulldogs by 35 points. Kentucky appeared completely outmatched in effort and spirit, leaving the question: Can these problems be turned around?

The Oregon Trail stretched 2,170 miles from the Beaver State all the way to Missouri in the 1800s, and Will Stein would take the extra 575 miles from Independence to Lexington via horse and buggy if it meant he got to coach the Kentucky Wildcats.