Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez tries to elude Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine (2) during last season’s game in Lexington. The teams meet Saturday in Knoxville with playoff implications resting on the outcome.
Kentucky tight end Willie Rodriguez tries to elude Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine (2) during last season’s game in Lexington. The teams meet Saturday in Knoxville with playoff implications resting on the outcome.
For just the fourth time in program history, Kentucky and Tennessee will both be ranked Saturday in a border rivalry that dates back to 1893.
The No. 6 Wildcats are 6.5-point underdogs against the No. 13 Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:15 p.m. for the game to be broadcast by the SEC Network.
The history of the series is not pretty for Kentucky, with just three wins since 1984. The only win in Knoxville in that period came in the pandemic-altered 2020 season when attendance was limited.
Can Kentucky continue its magical season by vanquishing some of those Tennessee demons? Will UK end the Volunteers’ own playoff hopes?
Stopping the run
Kentucky enters the game ranked 30th nationally in rushing defense (113.3 yards per game), but the Wildcats have been even better against opposing running backs.
Alabama’s Daniel Hill is the only running back who has topped the 100-yard plateau against Kentucky this season. No other opposing running back has rushed for more than 74 yards in a game.
“I think our D-line and our linebackers are playing well,” UK coach Will Stein said. “Our safeties like to tackle, so that’s been definitely good. I think we’ve had good plans against the run.”
The Wildcats are coming off a Vanderbilt win in which they surrendered just 15 total rushing yards.
The quality of opposing running backs will increase in the next three games, starting Saturday. Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (119.6) is one of three SEC running backs averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game. The other two play for Florida and Missouri, Kentucky’s next two opponents.
Those opponents will surely take heart in the fact that the one time Kentucky did surrender 100 yards to a running back it lost to the Crimson Tide.
“Tennessee poses a lot of threats,” Stein said. “They play in 12 personnel. They use tight ends in the run game. They have really big offensive linemen that can move the point of attack, and then they hand it off to an elite back. I mean, (Bishop) is the real deal.
“Then I think how they formation you gives you some issues. But I like our plan that we have right now, and now it’s just about going out and executing it.”
Different look for UT offense
Since Tennessee hired Josh Heupel as head coach before the 2021 season, Kentucky has had almost no success slowing the Volunteers’ potent offensive attack.
In three of the past five meetings, Tennessee has scored at least 44 points. Only once in that span has UK held Tennessee under 30 points.
But the 2026 UT offense has not performed to the normal standard of Heupel’s fast-tempo attack
After ranking in the top 12 nationally in points per game in four of Heupel’s first five seasons, Tennessee enters the weekend ranked 46th in points per game (32.3). Even that number is boosted by nonconference wins over Furman (56-9), Georgia Tech (45-24) and Kennesaw State (42-9).
Tennessee has yet to score more than 26 points in an SEC game. It has lost twice in SEC play despite not surrendering more than 27 points against a league opponent.
“They still utilize wide splits, and they’ll use tempo, and they blend tempo,” Stein said. “I think they’re playing really well on offense. They’re running the ball as good as anybody for sure.”
Stein attributed some of Tennessee’s dip in points to rule changes that have allowed defenses to substitute more regularly and slow tempo offenses. But those rules existed last season, too, when Tennessee ranked sixth nationally in points per game (39.8).
At least part of Tennessee’s offensive dropoff — the Volunteers are averaging 72 fewer yards per game than last season — can be attributed to inconsistent quarterback play. Heupel has started two different quarterbacks this season and has yet to confirm a starter for Saturday’s game.
Sophomore George MacIntyre has started the past three Tennessee games but has thrown just two touchdowns with three interceptions and lost a fumble late in the South Carolina loss. Freshman Faizon Brandon opened the season as the starter but has not played since being benched Oct. 3 against Auburn.
UK injury report
Stein acknowledged in his Tuesday news conference that if Kentucky had a game last week during the bye, the Wildcats likely would have been without multiple key players due to injury, but Wednesday’s SEC availability report brought good news.
Backup defenders Antwan Smith, Jaden Smith and Grant Grayton, who are all dealing with longer term injuries, remain out. Freshman linebacker Justyn Hartley, who has primarily contributed on special teams, also is out this week.
Freshman cornerback Isaiah McMillian, who was injured on a play that was flagged for targeting against Vanderbilt, is listed as questionable. Outside linebacker Sam Greene, who missed the Vanderbilt game, is listed as probable.
Running back CJ Baxter, who did not play at Oklahoma and recorded just one carry against Vanderbilt before being sidelined by a shoulder injury, and right tackle Malachi Wood, who was sidelined in the Vanderbilt game, were not included on the report, signaling they are available for Tennessee. Long snapper Cole Marszalek and defensive lineman Tyler Thomas, who both missed the Vanderbilt game, also were left off the availability report.
The return of Baxter, UK’s leading rusher, could be particularly important for the Wildcats’ hopes against Tennessee’s vaunted defense.
“He’s not the only one across college football, even on our team, that has shoulder pain,” Stein said. “I think everybody at this point in the year probably does, and he’s going to be ready to rock and roll
“Thought he had a really good last week (during the bye). Had a good day today (on Tuesday). So, looking forward to him competing.”
Mon.-Fri. 8AM-4PM (EST); Sat. 8AM-11AM (EST)
Message and data rates may apply frequency may vary.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
