Joe Lunardi is disrespecting the Kentucky Wildcats in his Way-Too-Early Bracketology

Months will have to pass before Big Blue Nation is able to see Mark Pope's 2025-26 team take the floor for the first time, but one college basketball personality does not have an offseason.

That is ESPN's Joe Lunardi, who is most commonly known for his Bracketology updates. Today, he released his Way-Too-Early Bracketology for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and some Kentucky fans are upset about where Lunardi had the Wildcats.

In this update, Lunardi had the Wildcats ranked as the three seed in the Midwest Region, which would have Pope's team set to face off with UNC Wilmington.

This Kentucky team has a shot to be one of the best teams not only in the SEC but all of college basketball. This is a reason many around the Kentucky program, and fans believe this team has a shot to be a one or two-seed in the tournament this season.

Kentucky is going to have a gauntlet of a schedule, so the Wildcats will have plenty of opportunities to boost their NET Rankings. This will make it easier for the Wildcats to be a top seed if they win these marquee matchups.

Obviously, Pope's team has to go out on the floor and prove it, but this team is looking like one of the deepest in all of college hoops. Coach Pope and his team are not concerned about any outside noise, but if all goes to plan, the Wildcats will be a higher seed this season than they were in year one of his Kentucky tenure.