Michigan State's Mel Tucker one of two coaches not to rank Kentucky football in final poll

LEXINGTON - It has been more than 70 years since Kentucky and Michigan State played in a football game, but it would be difficult to describe the current relationship between the two programs as anything but tense.

Michigan State coach Mel Tucker made an unsuccessful attempt to lure Kentucky recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow to his inaugural staff in February 2020. The Wildcats then landed linebacker Luke Fulton and receiver Tre'Von Morgan as transfers from Michigan State last offseason.

The budding rivalry reached a new level when Kentucky had to fight off a last-minute effort from Tucker and Michigan State to flip five-star offensive tackle commitment Kiyaunta Goodwin, a Louisville native who played for Charlestown High School in Southern Indiana, on signing day in December.

In case those developments were not enough to ruffle feathers on both sides, Tucker handed Mark Stoops and company another reason to be annoyed this week with his ballot in the final USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll.

Tucker was one of just two coaches in the 62-voter panel not to include Kentucky, winner of 10 games and the Citrus Bowl, in his final top 25. The other was San Diego State coach Brady Hoke.

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Of the 60 ballots that included Kentucky, the Wildcats' ranking ranged from No. 9 (Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi) to No. 23 (Arkansas State coach Butch Jones). Louisville coach Scott Satterfield voted Kentucky 16th. Former UK wide receiver and offensive coordinator Neal Brown, now coach at West Virginia, ranked the Wildcats 14th.

Along with Narduzzi, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea (10) and Iowa State coach Matt Campbell (10) included Kentucky in their top 10s. Kentucky was ranked 15th in the final poll.

As for Tucker's ballot, the Michigan State coach ranked Iowa, the team Kentucky beat in the Citrus Bowl, 25th. He ranked his own team sixth, three spots behind archrival Michigan, who the Spartans beat in the regular season.

It would be fair to question Kentucky's strength of schedule considering Iowa (23) was the only team ranked in the final poll beaten by the Wildcats this season, but Tucker found room in his poll for Group of Five programs Cincinnati (4), Louisiana-Lafayette (12), Houston (20), Utah State (22) and San Diego State (24) who did not play an eight-game Southeastern Conference schedule.

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Unlike Tucker, Hoke did not include Iowa on his final ballot. He ranked his own team, which finished the year at 12-2 with a ranked win over Utah but losses to Fresno State and Utah State, at No. 18. Hoke also found room in his poll for Group of Five programs Cincinnati (4), Houston (15), Utah State (17), Louisiana-Lafayette (20) and Air Force (22).

Hoke's only recent meeting with Kentucky came as Tennessee's defensive line coach in 2017. Kentucky is unlikely to face either Hoke's or Tucker's other than in a bowl game in in the coming years, but the recruiting rivalry versus Michigan State is only likely to intensify.

The ballot could be particularly interesting for Marrow, who has seized on any chance to play the disrespect card for Kentucky but referred to Tucker as a close friend when he was being courted by Tucker in 2020.

"We’re very close," Marrow said of Tucker at the time. "It was very hard. But I’m also close to (Stoops), and we grew up together. It was just hard. I can’t put it another way. He really wanted me and they really, really made an effort. It was just hard the last three days. You get money and a raise, but I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. Especially when it’s two friends."

Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com; Follow him on Twitter at @JonHale_CJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football: Two coaches did not rank Wildcats in final poll