2012 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Kentucky Will Stumble in National Title Hunt

Kentucky is this year's 2012 NCAA tournament favorite, and just like Kansas last year, they will falter in their pursuit of the national title.

While places like SB Nation have called Kentucky the overall favorite, there's a certain amount of pressure that goes along with that title, and the Wildcats won't be able to handle it.

Coach John Calipari's team will have to battle through a deep division in the South—VCU, UConn, Duke and Indiana are all potential opponents for the No. 1 seed.

As fellow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Andrew Kulha points out, Kentucky is talented but the lack the depth needed to live up to the high expectations that are being placed upon them by the NCAA seed-makers.

That says to me that if a team like UConn or Duke can create a close game in the second half against the Wildcats, they can do what Indiana did and Tennessee almost did—beat them.

Having NBA caliber players is great, but without depth Kentucky will end up like the Miami Heat did last season, but unlike the Heat, they won't have the privilege of losing in the final round of their tournament.

Connecticut is just one season removed from making a deep push for the national championship and sit as the potential second-round opponent for the Wildcats. While the Huskies have been on a skid as of late, they weren't everyone's sexy pick last season either.

They've taken out Harvard, Florida State and fellow South division school Notre Dame already this year, and I don't think many would be shocked to see UConn repeat their 2011 heroics.

Like Duke and UNC, basketball is everything to Connecticut; they've developed a culture of winning and winning during the tournament. That's not to say Kentucky hasn't, and basketball is certainly their biggest sport, but UConn will be a deadly opponent should they meet in the second round.

Even if the Wildcats get past UConn, then they're off to face either VCU, Indiana (who beat them this season), Wichita State or New Mexico State. Wichita and New Mexico are certainly winnable affairs for Calipari's team; I'm sure it would freak him and his players out to have Indiana or last year's Cinderella VCU in the South semifinals.

I haven't touched much on their possible matchup with Duke in the division finals, but I don't need to tell you that that's anyone's game to win in the first place.

The road to the Final Four is already difficult for Kentucky, and if they were to get there, then there's still three other juggernaut-esque teams to send them home packing to the Bluegrass State.

With a reserve squad pitching in just 22.4 minutes a game and the murder's row-type of schedule ahead of them this month, don't put your money, jelly beans, vacation time or whatever you bet with behind the Wildcats.