The Tennessee Volunteers have proven this football season that they can win at home, on the road and at a neutral site.
What they haven’t done to this point is prevail immediately after an open date.
The No. 7 Vols host Kentucky on Saturday night (7:45 on the SEC Network) in their first game since topping Alabama 24-17 inside Neyland Stadium on Oct. 19. The last time Tennessee had extended time off, the Vols soured a resounding 4-0 start with a lackluster 19-14 loss at Arkansas on Oct. 5.
“There were multiple reasons for us not executing the way that we needed to that day,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said, “and it’s about us controlling what we need to control. The point of emphasis is us continuing to get better as a football team, and that is always the case. I have certainly pointed those things out to our guys, but at the end of the day, we are in the middle of our conference season.
“There is a lot of football to be played, and we have to take steps to play our best.”
The Vols, after averaging 54.0 points through their first four contests, have gone three straight games without scoring in the first half.
Tennessee fifth-year senior center Cooper Mays said attention to detail has been the biggest difference between this recent open date compared to the first one. When asked whether he believes the Vols have taken better advantage this time around, Mays said: “I think so. I think it’s been great.”
The Vols are 6-1 overall, 3-1 in SEC play and very much in the hunt for an invitation to college football’s inaugural 12-team playoff. The playoff ship has long since sailed for Kentucky, which has lost three straight games to fall to 3-5 overall and 1-5 within the league.
“Our guys are beat down pretty good,” Wildcats 12th-year coach Mark Stoops said, “and we’ve got a lot we need to improve on.”
Kentucky showed plenty of promise early this season, falling to No. 1 Georgia 13-12 on Sept. 14 and stunning No. 6 Ole Miss in Oxford 20-17 on Sept. 28. The Wildcats then bottomed out in October, falling to Vanderbilt, Florida and Auburn, with the losses to the Gators and Tigers transpiring by a combined 72-30.
Saddled with the SEC’s worst offense — the Wildcats rank 121st nationally in scoring (19.1 points per game) and 124th in passing (166.1 yards per game) — Kentucky is still trying to break through with redshirt junior quarterback Brock Vandagriff. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound transfer from Georgia has completed 100 of 175 passes (57.1%) for 1,236 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions.
“I’m sure internally that he’s maybe a touch frustrated,” Stoops said, “but when he’s on the field or when he’s around us, he’s like he always is. He’s a consistent competitor. Any competitor would be bothered internally, but for him it’s business as usual.
“He’s looking for ways to improve and to help this team, and I have no worries in that regard about Brock. He’s not a fragile young man. He works very hard and is a strong leader. We just need to help him the way we play around him.”
Tennessee routed Kentucky 44-6 two years ago in Knoxville but held off the Wildcats 33-27 last season in Lexington. A Tennessee win Saturday would be the 37th for the Vols in the last 40 series meetings.
“It’s obviously a big rivalry,” Stoops said. “Tennessee is having a big year, and they’ve been that way and play a lot of big games late in the year. For us, we’re trying to get the program to a level that’s a step higher to compete on a more consistent basis.
“This game is important to our fan base, and it’s important to myself and to our team.”
Anes flips to Vols
Tennessee has picked up its 24th commitment for the 2025 signing cycle, receiving a nonbinding pledge from linebacker Brenden Anes of Fred J Page High School in the Nashville suburb of Franklin.
The 6-2, 220-pounder had previously been committed to Wisconsin. Anes is rated as the nation’s No. 61 linebacker and No. 584 overall prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.