Mark Stoops eats his words, Kentucky football season becomes a bust | Toppmeyer

Kentucky's players proved their coach right. The Wildcats aren't good. Either that, or they just packed it in for the season.

I can’t prove the extent to which Mark Stoops’ Octoberwords contributed to the freefall that is an annual rite for Kentucky football, but the correlation is striking.

Days after the Wildcats were humbled in a blowout loss to Georgia, Stoops complained to a fan on his radio show that UK needed additional NIL money so he could stockpile more talented players like those Georgia possesses.

At best, the Kentucky coach’s comment was a blame-shifting response after an embarrassing performance. At worst, the remark belittled UK’s roster and risked losing the locker room.

Now, the Wildcats have lost five of their past six games. Perhaps, this is nothing more than Kentucky (6-5, 3-5 SEC) again being unmasked for a fraud after the schedule stiffened, but it’s inexplicable how a team that dominated Florida on Sept. 30 looked so stinky two weeks later in a home loss to Missouri and then again Saturday in a 17-14 defeat at South Carolina.

“We left so many plays on the field, it makes me sick,” Stoops said in his postgame radio interview.

Kentucky hasn’t beaten an opponent with a winning record. The six teams that lost to the Wildcats are a combined 23-43. Nevertheless, Stoops stands to collect a $100,000 bonus on top of his $9 million salary for earning bowl eligibility. Stoops reaps riches working one of the FBS’ cushiest jobs, while squandering one of the best collections of skill-position talent he’s ever had.

Kentucky season’s is a bust, plain and simple.

The much-hyped return of offensive coordinator Liam Coen did not produce an offensive revolution. Transfer quarterback Devin Leary shined against Tennessee’s porous defense, but he’s otherwise had a disappointing season. He contributed two of UK’s three turnovers against South Carolina.

With Finnish DJ Darude present, Williams-Brice Stadium rocked to “Sandstorm” during the game, before the Gamecocks changed the tune.

“We had 'Soulja Boy' playing in the locker room after the game, as well. Had a fun celebration,” Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said, a song reference that nods to his rivalry with Stoops.

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Beamer’s Gamecocks (5-6, 3-5) didn’t quit on him. They’re 6-1 in November the past two seasons. They must beat Clemson to secure bowl eligibility.

Spencer Rattler received exaggerated criticism for his body language at Oklahoma and how a Netflix reality show portrayed him as a teenager, but he’s done right by South Carolina.

How easy it would have been for Rattler to opt out midseason and prepare for the NFL after defenses treated him like a piñata. Rattler stayed engaged to lead an injury-riddled team.

South Carolina’s finish could restore confidence in Beamer’s tenure. Kentucky's finish doesn't inspire NIL donations.

Missouri football’s fortune changes

Fortune smiles on the 2023 Missouri Tigers.

That’s welcomed by a fan base that’s long felt snake-bitten and suffered the infamous fifth-down play.

Curses shatter at Harrison Mevis’ foot.

Mevis kept No. 9 Missouri positioned for a New Year’s Six bowl bid by booting a 30-yard field goal in the closing seconds of a 33-31 victory over Florida, avoiding what would have been a surprising upset by the Gators behind backup quarterback Max Brown.

The Gators (5-6, 3-5) looked like tortured souls in the closing minutes. UF’s Trevor Etienne ran out of bounds, one play before Trey Smack kicked a go-ahead field goal. That clock-management miscue kept additional time on the clock for the Tigers to mount their winning drive.

The Tigers (9-2, 5-2) faced fourth-and-17 when Florida seemingly forgot Luther Burden is Missouri’s best receiver. Burden found an opening in the middle of the field for a 27-yard reception.

The Tigers take their personality from their coach, the full-of-swagger Eliah Drinkwitz. Or, maybe they take their personality from their resurgent quarterback, Brady Cook. Or is it from Cody Schrader, the Division II transfer who leads the SEC in rushing?

Actually, the “Thiccer Kicker” might best personify this team. The 243-pound Mevis gator-chomped after connecting on his second game-winning kick of the season. There’s a man who could polish off some gator nuggets.

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Best line I heard this week

“Playing ‘Friends in Low Places’ would be fitting.” – GoVols247’s Ben McKee, minutes before Tennessee played that Garth Brooks tune while getting trounced by Georgia at Neyland Stadium.

Three and out

1. Georgia remains dominant, but top to bottom, the SEC is not punching at its usual strength. Exhibit 15: After Auburn’s 31-10 home loss to New Mexico State, eight SEC teams have lost at least one nonconference game. The list would be longer, too, if not for Kentucky and Tennessee being blessed with a menu of nonconference cupcakes.

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2. Brian Kelly called Jayden Daniels “the best player in college football” after LSU’s quarterback compiled 509 yards of offense and eight touchdowns in a 56-14 win over Georgia State. I won’t argue. I only wish my Heisman Trophy ballot had one additional spot, so I could accommodate Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Georgia’s Carson Beck.

3. Billy Napier’s Florida record dropped to 11-13. Next fall, Napier will be answering questions from the media similar to those Pittman is fielding now.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

The "Topp Rope" is his twice-weekly SEC football column published throughout the USA TODAY Network. If you enjoy Blake’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or access exclusive columns via the SEC Unfilterednewsletter.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kentucky football: Mark Stoops eats words. Wildcats flop at South Carolina