This week, the College of Cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope, becoming the first American to hold the title. Pope Leo XIV is the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. None of those Popes have ever seen the Tennessee basketball program in the Final Four.
It’s truly remarkable. The sun has risen for 4.6 billion years, yet never on a day when the Vols were in the Final Four.
These silly facts are fantastic fuel for the Kentucky vs. Tennessee border rivalry. The Vols’ absence from the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament is something BBN will hold over its rival’s head for as long as possible.
There have been close calls in recent years. This spring almost provided the most brutal death to the rivalry talk. Tennessee eliminated Kentucky from the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16. Fortunately, Houston crushed the Vols’ hopes with a 69-50 victory in Indianapolis.
Long Droughts in Sports History
Tennessee’s permanent absence from the Final Four Peaked our Interest on this week’s segment of Kentucky Roll Call with Steven Peake. KSR’s videographer brought out a few other factoids and asked which one would happen first:
— The Detroit Lions appear in a Super Bowl.
— Nebraska wins an NCAA Tournament game.
— The Seattle Mariners make a World Series.
— Tennessee makes a Final Four.
— Kentucky Football makes the College Football Playoff.
The Case for Kentucky in the CFP
The CFP is new to the sport of college football, but changes are afoot. The four-team field was expanded to 12 last year. Ross Dellenger reports that expansion is once again on the horizon. There is momentum for the field to grow to 16 for the 2026 season, giving the SEC four automatic bids to the CFP, with three at-large bids also in play.
On the heels of a 4-8 campaign, a Kentucky football trip to the CFP seems implausible. However, we just saw the Wildcats rip off two nine-win regular seasons in four years. They were a top-four team in the SEC twice. Even though Texas and Oklahoma have changed the power dynamics within the league, schedules remain unbalanced. If the stars align and the right team gets the right schedule, Kentucky could find itself in a 16-team CFP.
So, what happens first, Kentucky football makes the CFP or Tennessee basketball reaches the Final Four?
Got thoughts? Continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board.
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