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Big Blue Nation has spoken! With high anticipation for the 2022 football season, Kentucky Wildcats football fans were asked on CatsIllustrated.com which SEC road game they are most looking forward to this season. A poll was conducted on "The House of Blue," CatsIllustrated’s premium forum on the Rivals.com network. Here are the results: Ole Miss - 60.7% Florida - 23.6% Tennessee - 15.3% Missouri, with just one vote - 0.4% The responses were both informative about things to do, and hilarious. As for the best SEC Stadium overall, multiple Kentucky fans game a thumbs up to the University of Georgia, and a weekend in Athens. Jdsdrummer: “Who wants to hear Rocky Top 500 times in 3 hours?” Floboi03: “Already got a tent reserved for our party at The Grove! Can’t wait to go and experience the atmosphere.” CBUK3 “I think the correct answer for us is the Grove since we don't get to go to Oxford often, whereas the other 3 options are every other year. Of the other 3, Florida seems like the best option because it feels like we have as good a chance to win down in the Swamp as we've had in a long while.” FanPlans.com is proud to partner with CatsIllustrated.com to provide Big Blue Nation a one stop shop to book travel for University of Kentucky football and basketball games. Get your travel plans started today by visiting this page: https://www.fanplans.com/catsillustrated

SEC Football fans looking to mix some golf into their visit to the University of Kentucky have some tremendous options. The Lexington area features a handful of public courses considered among the commonwealth’s best places to play. In each case, you don’t have to break your budget to play! Here is the guide you need to play golf in Lexington, Kentucky. TOP PUBLIC COURSES WITHIN A SHORT DRIVE Kearney Hill Golf Links - Website An opportunity to play a Pete Dye design for less than $40.00 is too good to pass up. Not to mention, many feel Kearney Hill Golf Links is the best public course in Kentucky. Located just seven miles north of Lexington, if you are looking for a logistically simple golf option on a top course, look no further than Kearney Hill. The course is located just off I-75 and I-64. Ranked the No. 12 course in Kentucky by Top 100 Golf Courses , it has hosted a slew of national USGA and PGA events, most recently the 2021 PGA Boys Junior Championship. Cherry Blossom | Website A straightforward Clyde Johnston (of Hilton Head Island fame) design, Cherry Blossom is located a half hour north of Lexington, and just off I-75. The course features just 35 sand traps, so if bunkers are the reason you can’t break 80, try this option for your golf round. Cherry Bloosom is ranked the No. 13 course in Kentucky by Top 100 Golf Courses. A weekend round of 18 with a cart will cost you just $55.00. A leisurely walk during the week - only $30.00. Cherry Blossom has private club amenities, offers memberships, but is open to all for play. University Club Kentucky | Website Home of the men’s and women’s Kentucky Wildcat golf teams, the “Uclub” offers 36 holes of golf - The Wildcat course, and the longer Big Blue course. Both courses are very affordable, and given the venue is just a couple minutes from Kroger Stadium and downtown Lexington, the Uclub offers perhaps the simplest, most cost-effective opportunity for golfers to squeeze in a lot of good golf on a football weekend. The Uclub normally doesn’t book tee times more than a couple weeks in advance, but if you have a large group of golfers, they urge you to contact them in advance. Houston Oaks | Website Located in nearby Paris (KY), this venue will give golfers a feel of being on the countryside with some vistas capturing the beauty of Kentucky’s horse country. Plus, you can play anytime for $53.00 or less. The course rates well on Golf Advisor, and has a 4.4 rating on Google reviews. Houston Oaks has everything you need for a round with your buddies: five sets of tees to choose from, a double sided driving range, and The Oaks Grill at the turn! THE BEST ROAD TRIP GOLF COURSE Lassing Point is about an hour 20 minute drive north of Lexington, and just a half hour from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. If you are willing to take a car ride, or play before you settle down in Lexington, Lassing Pointe is an excellent option. Top 100 Golf Courses has this venue as the top rated public golf course in Kentucky, and the No. 9 course overall. Golfweek feels the same way. And following a theme of nearly all of Kentucky’s best public courses, a round here won’t hurt your wallet. The rack rate for 18 holes and a cart is just $55.00. The courses prides itself on forgiving tee shots and greens that don’t require a perfect shot to hit. It is ideal for a large group with golfers of varied skill sets, looking to play a top notch course. FanPlans.com is proud to partner with CatsIllustrated.com to provide Big Blue Nation a one stop shop to book travel for University of Kentucky football and basketball games. Get your travel plans started today by visiting this page: https://www.fanplans.com/catsillustrated

Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops took over the Wildcats program for the 2013 football season, following Joker Phillips’ final season record of 2-10. Stoops would match that record in his first season, but since then, Big Blue Nation has enjoyed a steady climb to a solid football program. The Wildcats went 10-3 in 2021, their second 10-win season in the last four years. Prior to that, the last time Kentucky finished with 10 wins or more was 1977, and the program had never achieved double digit wins twice in a four-year period. The reason for Kentucky’s steady rise? Recruiting is almost always the answer to that type of question. It is here as well. From 2010-2012, the Wildcats finished no higher than 50th in the Rivals.com team recruiting rankings. Since then, Mark Stoops and his staff have put together classes ranked no worse than 35th, including two top 20 classes. Of note, one of those classes has yet to take the field. Kentucky finished 14th nationally in the class of 2022 Rivals.com team rankings - a sign of more good things to come. Coach Stoops, born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, has relied heavily on his roots to put together solid classes year after year. VISIT CATSILLUSTRATED.COM FOR THE LATEST ON KENTUCKY FOOTBALL AND RECRUITING Stoops sent a message early in his tenure. With his first full recruiting class, the Wildcats signed eleven Ohio prospects in the class of 2014, including five four-star recruits. That class finished 17th in the Rivals rankings. Two years later, Stoops signed 11 Ohioans again en route to a top 30 class. Since then, Stoops has continued to mine Ohio, find other top Midwest prospects interested in the SEC (including Oak Park, MI five-star class of 2020 DL Justin Rogers), and improved the Wildcats in-state recruiting. Stoops has signed 16 prospects from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana ranked four or five stars. On four occasions during Stoops’ tenure, he has signed the commonwealth’s top in-state prospect. With a top 15 class coming in, excitement remains high among Big Blue Nation. Rivals.com Team Football Recruiting Rankings: (Mark Stoops took over for the 2013 football season) 2022 - 14th 2021 - 34th 2020 - 21st 2019 - 30th 2018 - 30th 2017 - 26th 2016 - 28th 2015 - 35th 2014 - 17th 2013 - 29th 2012 - 63rd 2011 - 61st 2010 - 50th Follow CatsIllustrated.com on social: FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin signed 16 prospects in the football recruiting class of 2022, a small class by any measure. However, the group features enough quality to rank number 28 in the Rivals.com 2022 team recruiting rankings. Despite the solid national ranking, the class only ranks 13th out of 14 SEC teams - a telling example of the Southeastern Conference’s dominance not only on the field, but on the recruiting trail. The Rebels will welcome freshman from nine different states, but the highest ranked prospect in the class is an in-state star. Madison (MS) Germantown defensive tackle Zxavian Harris has offers from the likes of Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and many more, but decided to be the headliner in the Rebels’ recruiting haul. Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin signed 16 prospects in the football recruiting class of 2022, a small class by any measure. However, the group features enough quality to rank number 28 in the Rivals.com 2022 team recruiting rankings. Despite the solid national ranking, the class only ranks 13th out of 14 SEC teams - a telling example of the Southeastern Conference’s dominance not only on the field, but on the recruiting trail. The Rebels will welcome freshman from nine different states, but the highest ranked prospect in the class is an in-state star. Madison (MS) Germantown defensive tackle Zxavian Harris has offers from the likes of Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and many more, but decided to be the headliner in the Rebels’ recruiting haul.

The Ole Miss Rebels are coming off a successful 2021 campaign, with a 10-2 regular season record, and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. Lane Kiffin’s squad recorded major wins at home against Texas A&M, Arkansas, and LSU in route to a second place finish in the SEC West, and a 6-2 conference record. The problem for 2022 - those home wins will be reciprocated with tough road contests in College Station, Fayetteville, and Baton Rouge. Plus, the Rebels have to retool after six players were selected in the NFL Draft, tying the program’s record for most selections in a single draft in the last 50 years. In particular, Matt Corral’s production at quarterback will be a tough fill. A third-round selection to the Carolina Panthers, Corral completed 68% of his passes, for 3349 yards and 20 touchdowns.

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