When was the last time Kentucky football finished second place in the Southeastern Conference East Division?

The answer might surprise some. It’s never happened.

Since the SEC split into the two divisions in 1992, the Cats have never placed better than third in the division. Traditionally, teams like Georgia, Florida and especially Tennessee have held the Cats in check.

That’s what makes Sports Illustrated predictions in its latest issue so special. The weekly magazine published its predictions for the SEC in its college football preview and have predicted the Cats will finish in a tie for second in the East.

Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated predicts UK will go 8-4 overall, 4-4 in the conference, identical records to that of Georgia and South Carolina. Staples has Florida winning the East with a 7-1 conference record but has Kentucky ahead of Tennessee with a 3-5 record and Vanderbilt with an 0-8 mark.

It’s just a projection, but given the history of UK football, that’s a bold predicition.

Also, Staples listed wide receiver Randall Cobb as one of his five players to watch in the leauge. Of Cobb, Staples writes, “Cobb will do it all, from catching balls to returning punts and kicks to taking snaps in the WildCobb formation. Few players in the nation will contribute more.”