Stoops's future in Lexington was a talking point after his Wildcats hit their rock bottom for the 2025 season: a 41-0 loss to hated rival Louisville in the season's final game Saturday, capping off a second straight losing season for Kentucky under Stoops.

On Sunday night, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Kentucky is expected to fire Mark Stoops. The move comes on the heels of a 41-0 loss to Louisville to close out the season. Kentucky finished 5-7 in 2025. Stoops finishes his tenure with a 72-80 record (not including 10 vacated wins from 2021), making him the winningest coach in program history.

Conversations are happening about Mark Stoops‘ future at Kentucky, so the best football insiders the program has to offer are putting their heads together to have conversations about Mark Stoops’ future at Kentucky.

The Wildcats needed a win over in-state rival Louisville to reach bowl eligibility, but it was another collapse under head coach Mark Stoops. Kentucky lost 41-0 to the Cardinals, marking the second consecutive season Louisville defeated the Wildcats in blowout fashion.

Lane Kiffin kept us waiting. Mark Stoops says "0% chance" he walks. Kentucky has 0% chance of a bowl. And apparently we're headbutting refs now.

The Kentucky Wildcats were thoroughly outclassed by the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 41-0. It was Louisville’s first shutout of Kentucky since the 2004 season. That’s how badly today went for Mark Stoops and Co.