The Tennessee Volunteers are not judging Kentucky by its 2-4 start or by its nine consecutive Southeastern Conference defeats dating back to last season.
Not after last week.
The Wildcats took preseason No. 1 Texas into overtime Saturday in Lexington before falling 16-13. Kentucky racked up 26 first downs against the Longhorns while allowing eight, and the Wildcats won the total yardage battle by an overwhelming 395-179.
“We’re playing a really good football team,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said during his weekly news conference Monday. “You look at them Saturday against Texas, and they statistically won the game in about every way — just not on the scoreboard. They took it to overtime. You can definitely point to that game and see the quality of the opponent that we’re playing.
“It’s another test inside of this league, and it’s on the road.”
The No. 17 Vols, who dropped to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play with this past weekend’s 37-20 loss at No. 4 Alabama, and Wildcats will vie Saturday (7:45 p.m. on the SEC Network) at Kroger Field.
Kentucky’s league losses this season have transpired in different ways. The Wildcats took early 10-0 and 10-7 leads against Ole Miss and South Carolina, respectively, but couldn’t make them hold up in 30-23 and 35-13 setbacks.
They pulled within 14-7 of Georgia in Athens early in the second quarter but were overwhelmed for much of that 35-14 defeat, but this past Saturday night was the definition of a missed opportunity.
“There were really a lot of mixed emotions after this past week,” Kentucky 13th-year coach Mark Stoops said. “I was really encouraged with the way our team played, and I appreciate the fans and ex-players and so many people who were around and excited about that game. I was encouraged with the way our kids played but disappointed with the outcome.
“That’s what’s so heartbreaking. Our fans deserve it, our players deserve it, and our team has worked extremely hard to improve, and that I greatly appreciate. We need a different result, and we’re going to go back to work.”
Kentucky is hoping that different result can come at Tennessee’s expense.
The Vols have defeated the Wildcats all four times under Heupel and have averaged 37.5 points per game in the process. Their past two meetings at Kroger Field have transpired by single possessions, with Tennessee winning a 45-42 shootout in 2021 and surviving 33-27 two years ago.
“With Josh and his offenses, people don’t realize how effective they are in the run game,” Stoops said. “This year, they’re rushing for 200 yards a game and throwing for 300. I believe they’re actually throwing it better than they have in some time, and that’s saying a lot, because they generally throw it very well.
“This year, I feel like they’re even taking it to another level with their passing game.”
Tennessee has produced 100-yard rushers each of the past two seasons against Kentucky, with Jaylen Wright gaining 120 in 2023 and Dylan Sampson 142 last year, and current redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop would like to make it three straight after compiling 269 yards the past two contests against Arkansas and Alabama.
“Kentucky is a very good defensive team,” Bishop said. “I look forward to playing good defensive teams to showcase what we can do. It’s a great test for us.”
The X-factor to Saturday night’s matchup could be Kentucky redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from Hogdenville, Kentucky, began this season as the backup to Zach Calzada but was elevated to the starting role after two games.
Against Texas, Boley completed 31 of 39 passes for 258 yards, but he did throw an interception and was sacked five times.
“He’s more comfortable in the pocket,” Stoops said. “He’s been doing a good job of working around there, and even under duress, he’s been delivering the football. I was very encouraged by his completion percentage. When you can complete 80% against that type of defense under duress, that says a lot.
“It’s also encouraging because the receivers are stepping up and playing better as well.”
No longer tops
Tennessee entered the Alabama game with 26 sacks on the season and came away with the same total.
First-year outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin was asked Tuesday in a news conference why the Vols never could get to Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson.
“Well, Alabama has a great offensive line with a couple of guys who are probably going to be first-round draft picks, but there are some things that I could do better to help the guys out,” Harbin said. “The guys were in position a couple of times and didn’t finish like we would like them to, but we’ll clean that up this week.
“We’ll move on to being better than what we were last week.”
The Vols led the nation this time last week with 4.33 sacks per game but are now tied for third at 3.71.
Three’s company
Given that the SEC has 16 members, it’s quite the accomplishment for the Vols to have three of the league’s top 11 receivers statistically.
Chris Brazzell II ranks second with 86.0 yards per game, with Braylon Staley fifth at 74.7 and Mike Matthews 11th at 65.0.
“For one, those guys are very talented,” Vols receivers coach Kelsey Pope said Tuesday. “To their credit, they come in here, they buy in, and they work. I also think what we’re doing on offense and what we’re coaching these guys translates.
“I think it’s as simple as that, but that’s got to stay consistent.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.