Vicky Graff Photo
If you are looking for a reason to be hopeful that Kentucky could beat Tennessee on Saturday night, here are a couple of things that might add to your optimism:
— Kentucky is tied for last in the SEC standings at 0-4, but Tennessee barely beat Mississippi State 41-34 in overtime and Arkansas 34-31, the other two teams without a conference win.
— Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is 8-10 in conference road games in 4 1/2 seasons.
Now numbers that do not bode well for Kentucky are Heupel is 5-3 in road games against unranked SEC teams and Kentucky certainly is not ranked. The Tennessee coach is also 4-0 against UK and coach Mark Stoops.
Kentucky has been competitive in two SEC home games, losing 30-23 to No. 8 Ole Miss and 16-13 in overtime to No. 18 Texas. Kentucky outgained Texas 395 yards to 179 yards.
“You look at them Saturday against Texas, statistically they won the game in about every way, just not on the scoreboard,” Heupel said. “ They take it to overtime. So another test inside of this league on the road against a good football team and one that we’re looking forward to.
“Hopefully we’ll see a lot of our fans make the trip up there to Lexington. We’re playing a really good football team. You can point to that (Texas) game and see the quality of the opponent that we’re playing.”
Tennessee lost at Alabama, perhaps the SEC’s best team, last week.
“It’s the nature of the game that we play. You’ve got to be the same competitor every week, but every day, and that’s why your routine matters and getting ready and prepared matters. This is our next opportunity as a football team, and we’ve got to continue to grow,” the Tennessee coach said.
He said the Vols need to decrease pre-snap penalties and have better communication to win SEC road games.
“I think that’s where it starts on the offensive side of the football. The nature of the game, it’s 11-on-11 between the white lines, but all of your players being able to be in the present and just go play the next play and the momentum swings that naturally occur, being able to be settled in mentally, physically and emotionally and go play the next play,” he said.
“I love the way we continue to compete and play. We’ve got to play smarter. That’s in alignment, assignments, it’s execution – it’s all of those things. Ultimately this group competes hard and plays hard.”
4 Responses
I agree that if UK can beat Tennessee, it would be an upset. However, I believe this game is winnable for UK.
The offense showed signs of coming alive, but could not translate yards into points. But, that was against one of the premier defenses in the country last week, and Tennessee's defense has been anything but a monster on the midway this season. UK's defense played very well last week as well.
Yes, it is a bit of a pipe dream, but …..
I can still dream, even at this elevated age normally marked by intense cynicism.
You know the old saying: "you can put hope in one hand and reality in the other and see which gets filled first".
Based on past performance TN is at least a 10 point favorite to win this one. That said, if the Cats can play inspired football for the full game and the coaching staff does not give the game away, this contest is winnable.
No, we will be the flat spot on the road after Tennessee runs over us.
Tennessee will do that hurry up offense and we'll do what we've done the past couple of years.
Act like we've never seen it before and it's a complete surprise.
We can swap one 30 million dollar buyout for another one. Bill Belichick