Game Info
On Halloween weekend, the #7 Tennessee Volunteers (6-1) will host the rival Kentucky Wildcats (3-5) in Knoxville. Kickoff is set for 7:45 pm ET and can be watched on the SEC Network. These two teams have a history that goes back to 1893, with the Vols being the dominating side with a record of 84-26-9. The Vols are currently on a 3-game winning streak against the Wildcats, hoping to continue that streak on Saturday.
The Vols have announced they will use their “Dark Mode” uniforms, all black with Tennessee Orange accents, including the helmets. The university has also encouraged everyone to buy incredible-looking fan gear to put the stadium in “Dark Mode.”
Injury Report
Kentucky’s Impact Players and Play Style
- Primary quarterback #12 Brock Vandagriff is a junior who transferred from the University of Georgia at the end of last season. Throughout this season, he has thrown for 1,236 yards with a completion percentage of 57.1%. He has thrown 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions and been sacked 17 times on the year. Vandagriff remains collected throughout the game, even though the Wildcats have not had a favorable season. He is mobile and quick, with 72 carries for 108 yards.
- Kentucky’s secondary quarterback #2, Gavin Wimsatt, has not had as many snaps as Vandagriff but has made multiple appearances in 6 out of 8 games. Wimsatt is a mobile QB, and there is a solid chance it will be a run play if he is in the game. Throughout this year, he has 8 passing completions for 93 yards, a completion percentage of 40%, and 2 interceptions. However, he has 42 carries, 151 yards, and 2 touchdowns rushing. When Wimsatt is in, the Wildcats typically utilize a read option to the running back or a jet read to the wide receiver #7 Barion Brown.
- WR #7 Barion Brown is the second-best receiver for the Wildcats. He has 23 receptions, 278 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Although not the primary receiver, Brown is also used with Wimsatt to run the ball. He has 11 carries for 45 yards and 1 rushing touchdown. Brown is also a threat on special teams with his ability to return kickoffs for big yards. He is currently ranked 18th in the nation with a return average of 25.1 yards and has 1 touchdown.
- Primary WR #6 Dane Key is the main target for the Wildcat’s passing game. He has 39 receptions for 587 yards and 2 touchdowns. While Key is not used in the running game like Brown, Key can make great catches against tough coverage.
- Offensively, Kentucky is not a fast-tempo team. They take their time and run the ball 59% of their plays. They have had some explosive plays but are known mostly for long drives working down the field. Their biggest downside is the offensive line, which has struggled to provide protection throughout the year.
- Defensively, Kentucky has had games where they have done very well. Currently, they are ranked #7 in the SEC for defense. In week 3, Kentucky only allowed then #1 Georgia to score 13 points, their lowest of the season. However, for the past three weeks, Kentucky has struggled on defense in all three of their losses against Vanderbilt, Florida, and Auburn. In those three games, Kentucky’s opponents have been able to run the ball very well between the offensive tackles. Last week, Auburn ran for 328 yards against the Wildcats
Preview
On paper, Tennessee is a much better football team than Kentucky. Although they have struggled on offense against conference play, there is a great opportunity for the Vols to put it all together this week.
I believe the Tennessee Volunteers are about to have a field day in Neyland Stadium. Kentucky has had some good moments this season. They put up a tremendous fight against Georgia in a 12-13, and they have a win over then-ranked #6 Ole Miss. However, since those games, they have not been played well at all. The last time we saw Tennessee come off a bye week, it was a disappointing performance with a loss at Arkansas of 14-19. I hope the Vols have learned from that and understand they need to be focused on every game. Since that loss, we have seen the Vols make steady improvements, especially on the offensive line. In the last matchup against Alabama, the Vols’ offensive line had fewer missed assignments and only 1 penalty for holding. We also saw some deep shots that they are super close to connecting on. Coming out of this bye week, I suspect the Vols’ offense will be more polished, and we will start to see what we saw at the beginning of the season again.
Defensively, it is hard to ask for much more out of them. They are currently ranked 3rd in the nation and have not given up more than 19 points in a game. The Vols have already seen a two-quarterback system when they played against Florida and should be a little more confident against this scheme. If the Vols can disrupt Vandagriff and get him moving backward out of the pocket, it will be a fun night for the Vols’ defense. Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy has had some outstanding performances this year. With him and Key lining up against each other, the Vols should be able to shut him down like they did against Alabama’s Ryan Williams.
This week, we should see the scoreless first-half streak come to an end. I would even like to see Tennessee win the coin toss and elect to receive. To go out there and get a touchdown on the first drive would be an amazing motivator for the fans and the team. The offense has been a slow starter for the team, but this week will see the explosiveness we know they are capable of.
Score Prediction: Vols 45 – Wildcats 17
And, yes, both teams should bring back the iconic “Beer Barrel” trophy.
