Pat Forde: Is Kentucky basketball comparable to Florida State football?

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The Minutes was on “The Tony Kornheiser Show (1)” Monday, also known as the Best Radio Show Extant. On said show, Mr. Tony suggested that perhaps Kentucky (2) is the Florida State of college basketball, comparing the Wildcats to the college football Seminoles.

Kornheiser’s question is whether Kentucky is undefeated largely because of middling conference competition, not due to sheer dominance. That was Florida State, which slithered through the soft Atlantic Coast Conference 13-0 and then was exposed by Oregon when the competition grew tougher in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Could there be a similar unpleasant surprise awaiting these Wildcats when they get outside the Southeastern Conference?

That might be enough to send this rather avid UK fan into labor. But is it really an apt comparison? The Minutes examines both sides of the issue.

Reasons maybe yes: Jeff Sagarin’s football ratings ranked the ACC the fifth-best conference in America; Ken Pomeroy’s basketball ratings rank the SEC the fifth-best conference as well. Sagarin says Florida State did not face a single top-10 team in ACC play; Pomeroy says Kentucky has not faced a single top-25 team in SEC play. (That may change by the time Arkansas, currently No. 26, gets to Rupp Arena on Feb. 28.) Florida State was fortunate to escape Clemson at home, Louisville and Miami on the road; Kentucky has been fortunate to escape Mississippi at home, Texas A&M and LSU on the road. Come the Sweet 16 – or maybe even the round of 32 – there is likely to be an opponent who has been through a tougher grind than the Cats.

Reasons maybe no: Kentucky played a rigorous non-conference schedule and handled all challenges – at Louisville, Kansas and UCLA on neutral courts, North Carolina and Texas at home. But more importantly, poll voters and selection committee members alike saw through the undefeated but unimpressive Seminoles. That’s why they were ranked No. 2 in both the AP and USA Today polls, and No. 3 by the committee heading into the playoff. But Kentucky? You won’t find any number cruncher, poll voter or sentient human being who doesn’t rank the Wildcats No. 1. (Well, there is one USA Today coach voting Gonzaga on top over the Wildcats. Randy Bennett of West Coast Conference rival St. Mary’s, perhaps? The Gaels host the Zags on Saturday; does a “1” in parentheses for Gonzaga add a little juice for the home team?) While plenty of people believed Oregon, Alabama and Ohio State – not to mention TCU and Baylor – were better than Florida State in football, almost nobody is convinced that Virginia, Wisconsin, Duke or Villanova is better than Kentucky.

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