Kentucky's Alex Poythress wants to go 40-0

Last year Kentucky's basketball team had the highest rated recruiting class and a few holdovers from the national title team from the year before. The end result was an appearance in the NIT, which ended in a loss to Robert Morris.

This season Kentucky has what most call the best recruiting class of all time. Expectations are high or the Wildcats. Despite the youth and returning members from last year, many think the 'Cats will win the national championship once again.

Sophomore forwards Alex Poythress isn't backing down from the hype. He's aiming high and not just national championship high. He's talking about going 40-0.

“If we put our mind to it, once everybody gels, I say we can do anything. The sky is the limit for this team, so why not aim at 40-0? We might as well try to do it, right?

“Why not? What's stopping us? The only thing stopping us is us this year, so we might as well try to do it.”

What's stopping Kentucky is the schedule. The Wildcats have their annual Bluegrass rivalry with defending national champion Louisville. Also games against North Carolina (Chapel Hill), Baylor (might as well be a road game) and Michigan State, Boise State and Providence will provide the team with some good competition. Throw in the SEC slate and Kentucky will be challenged game in and game out.

No doubt the Wildcats will be very good. Might even be great. But they'll have to be on their game every night if they want to go undefeated. They'll have a target on their backs and will get everyone's best shot.      

Minnesota player says Michigan's Devin Gardner "panics a lot"

The Michigan-Minnesota game is shaping up to be just another game. The teams do play for the Little Brown Jug but generally there's not too much excitement that surrounds this game. The rivalry has been fairly one side as the Wolverines have won 20 of the past 21 games. That hasn't stopped the Golden Gophers from feeling confident about themselves.

Despite being a 20 point underdog the Golden Gophers feel they have as good of a shot as anyone to knock off the unbeaten Wolverines. After narrow wins over Akron and Connecticut they feel the Wolverines are ripe for the pickings.

“Just the fact they almost lost to Akron, they’re human,” Gophers defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman said. “You know what I mean? Everybody praises them to be elite, and I just feel like they’re a regular football team. You just have to come with your A-game, but that’s how you approach every game.”

To add a little spice to the game, Minnesota safety Cedric Thompson told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner 'panics a lot' when he gets pressured.

“I think he kind of just panics a lot,” Thompson said. “I think that when he scrambles, he kind of just throws the ball.”

I'm sure those words will make it back to Ann Arbor. Hopefully for the Wolverines it'll be a little incentive to bring their best this Saturday. If not they could find themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard.