There’s nothing quite like Kentucky football season. The mall is sold out of blue dresses, fall weather is in the air and school spirit is at an all-time high. And somehow, UK football is the last thing on your mind.
Last week The Kentucky Wildcats lost the battle to the Louisville Cardinals, 32-14. The Cats not only gave up the Governor’s Cup to in-state rival Louisville, but they also might have lost fans along the way.
Fan turnout to games is on the decline, and with the loss to Louisville, any possible hope that Cat supporters may have come into the season with has certainly been shaken.
“Everybody’s first game is important. You think it’s not important down at Alabama, Georgia, wherever? It’s important to set the tempo and tone for the season,” said UK head coach, Joker Phillips.
While the first game may not have ended exactly how Phillips hoped, he and the team alike are staying positive about the season.
“O-line, I’m confident that they can do a good job and our receiving corps, I’m looking to see them do big things,” said sophomore quarterback, Maxwell Smith.
With a past of less-than-impressive seasons, it’s hard for UK football fans to want to attend the games, but the team is not ready to give up. With no shortage of intensity in their practices, the Cats try to remain optimistic and continue to work hard. The influx of new recruits also adds to the positive energy, and the possibility for a Wildcat turnaround. According to Phillips, freshman linebacker Pancho Thomas is one of the newcomers who add to the competitive edge of the 2012 team.
“Pancho, you can tell leading up to a game that it was different for him and how he approached things closer we got to game day… (The freshmen) are going to get better as the season goes.”
While fans hope for the best, they aren’t exactly sure whether they will be attending games. Alyssa Elliott, a junior at UK, says she isn’t convinced.
“We just never win. It’s not like a fun environment when we always lose.”
UK sports hold a tradition like any other, and school spirit will never be lost. But until the expected results of the team become a reality, it’s hard to say whether or not we will ever see a sea of blue at Commonwealth Stadium again.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UK chapter.