The Kentucky Wildcats have one of the best resumes in college hoops. While that does, unfortunately, include a bad loss to Ohio State as well, the Cats do have wins over Gonzaga, Duke, and Florida, all thought of as championship-contending sides.

With the SEC clearly the best conference in college basketball, the Wildcats, now in SEC play, have a rough road ahead of them, facing three top-five teams in their next three games.

That’s according to CBS Sports’ most recent college basketball power rankings, which has Texas A&M, Alabama, and Mississippi State as top-five teams.

Both the Aggies and Bulldogs were thought to be strong teams coming into the season, but each has turned it up a notch from those expectations. CBS Sports as the Auburn Tigers at No. 1 with Mississippi State at No. 3, Texas A&M at No. 4, and Alabama at No. 5.

The Cats’ next three games will come against those last three programs. Following those three, they have a battle with Vanderbilt, and then they will face another powerhouse in Tennessee, sitting at No. 13 in this ranking.

Although Mark Pope’s team seems ready for the spotlight, the primetime games are about to come in bunches for this veteran team. Reeling as they come off an 82-69 road loss to the Georgia Bulldogs on January 7, the Cats need to get things together.

They’re going to have to look toward players like Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler in the coming games. Let’s hope those transfer guards deliver for Kentucky. It could be a rough slide down the polls if they don’t.