From SEC afterthought to CFP contender: How Will Stein has engineered stunning turnaround at Kentucky

Kentucky, picked 14th in the SEC in preseason predictions, has surged to a 7-1 record and climbed to No. 6 in the College Football Playoff Rankings under first-year head coach Will Stein. The remarkable turnaround has thrust Stein and the Wildcats program into the national spotlight, requiring the coach to balance increased media attention with continued game preparation. The result represents one of the most surprising stories of the college football season.