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On Colin Cowherd’s podcast, college football analyst Josh Pate made a bold declaration about what he considers the best job in the sport and it was not Notre Dame, Ohio State, or Alabama. It was Kentucky.
“You’re going to think I’m joking with you,” Pate admitted, “but Kentucky football would be the job that I would want to take.”
Pate pointed to the unique situation head coach Mark Stoops has carved out in Lexington. Unlike most SEC programs where expectations spiral with every winning season, Kentucky rewards stability and patience.
“Mark Stoops makes close to $10 million a year. The goal there is to win seven games in rural Kentucky. You can be there forever,” Pate said. “He’s got a massive buyout. And unlike a lot of these other guys, he is the only place where you blend SEC pay scale without SEC pressure.”
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) September 19, 2025For Pate, the combination is unmatched. Other SEC schools demand championships and fire coaches for nine win seasons. At Kentucky, Stoops has turned a perennial basketball school into a steady football contender, while keeping job security few in the sport can match.
“I just can’t believe people don’t look at Mark Stoops and say that guy figured it out,” Pate continued.
Still, he drew a distinction between the best job and the job to win titles. If chasing championships is the goal, his answer was different. “Now, if you do want to compete for a national championship, the answer is the University of Georgia,” Pate said.
But in terms of lifestyle, security, and financial rewards, Pate put Kentucky at the top. “Kentucky, if I don’t want to win a title. Georgia, if I do want to win a title, would be my two answers.”
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