LIVE BLOG: Kentucky at Tennessee

Stay Classy, Tennessee Fans

11/2/2024, 9:24:36 PM

Tre’vonn Rybka was banged up on the bottom of the pile. Tennessee fans believe every injury is fake, so the student section chanted something the broadcast probably wishes they could’ve edited out.

Fourth Down Scramble Helps Tennessee Score

11/2/2024, 9:13:38 PM

Kentucky was oh so close to preserving a shutout. On fourth and 5, Kentucky rushed four. Nico Iamaleava broke contain to his left and scrambled for a first down. A few plays later, he found a wide-open tight end downfield to get the ball inside the 10. The defense didn’t go down without a fight, but the Vols punched it in from the 1-yard line.

Freshman Peyton Lewis scored the first touchdown of his career. It’s the first Tennessee touchdown in the first half since September. Kentucky will get the ball back with 4:45 left until halftime. Vols will receive the ball first in the second half.

Penalties Kill the Kentucky Drive

11/2/2024, 9:01:47 PM

Tennessee was the primary penalized, flagged four times early in the game. It finally bit Kentucky. Brock Vandagriff scrambled to regain a bunch of yards lost by a sack, but it was all for not. A holding penalty, followed by a false start, backed up Kentucky inside their own 5-yard line.

Fortunately, Aidan Laros’ leg bailed out the Cats. The Kentucky punter bombed it 56 yards. The Tennessee return man couldn’t catch it cleanly, recovering the muffed punt right away. Tennessee starts the drive on their own 36.

ANOTHER TENNESSEE MISSED FIELD GOAL!

11/2/2024, 8:57:41 PM

The Kentucky defense came up with two huge plays in the red zone. Tennessee had a touchdown until Jordan Lovett absolutely rocked the tight end to jar the ball free. On third and long, Nico got hit by three UK defenders before Tyreese Fearbry recorded the sack. The 40-yard field goal was missed, keeping the Vols off the scoreboard, still trailing 7-0.

Entering tonight’s game, Max Gilbert was perfect on field goals of 45 yards or less. He has two misses from inside that distance tonight.

Barion Brown Sidelined with a Rib Injury

11/2/2024, 8:50:12 PM

The Kentucky wide receiver picked up 15 yards on a screen pass. When he was tackled he took a shot to the ribs. Dick Gabriel reports he left the injury tent with ice on his side. Consider him questionable to return.

First Quarter Stats: Kentucky Leads 7-0

11/2/2024, 8:44:06 PM

Tennessee has gone four straight first quarters without scoring a point.

This was not a penalty?

11/2/2024, 8:39:53 PM

Prior to Brock Vandagriff’s interception, he scrambled out of bounds. A Tennessee player standing on the sideline didn’t try to catch the Kentucky QB. He stuck his hands out and knocked Vandagriff to the ground. The official was looking right at this, but no flag was thrown. Why?

Kentucky Takes it Back!

11/2/2024, 8:38:00 PM

Two plays after the Kentucky interception, Keeshawn Silver ripped the ball from Dylan Sampson’s hands and Jamon Dumas-Johnson recovered it. This game is approaching Banana Land.

Another Tip-Ball Interception

11/2/2024, 8:33:31 PM

If Brock Vandagriff throws a pick, there’s a good chance it happened after it hit one of his players. He tried leading Hardley Gilmore inside, away from the defense. The freshman reached out and it slipped through his hands and into the Tennessee defender’s. Vols’ ball at the Kentucky 45-yard line.

Tennessee Drops a Touchdown

11/2/2024, 8:27:48 PM

It looked like Kentucky made a costly penalty. A facemask wiped away a Tennessee 3rd and 14 and moved the chains for the Vols. Nico saw the matchup he wanted and dialed up a deep ball to Chris Brazzell. It was a beautiful pass and looked like a 49-yard touchdown, but the transfer from Tulane could not survive the impact of the ground. The ball was dropped and the Cats were able to take down Nico on third and long to give Kentucky two straight stops.

Look at that Tight End Touchdown

11/2/2024, 8:23:19 PM

Throwing it more to the tight end actually worked.

Explosive Offense?!?! Kentucky Scores First!

11/2/2024, 8:18:32 PM

Benching Brock Vandagriff lit a fire under the worst passing offense in the SEC. He connected with Hardley Gilmore for a 25-yard gain to start the drive, then hit Dane Key on third and eight for a gain of 17. They finished the drive by going five-wide and NOT running a QB draw. They threw and Josh Kattus was wide open for a 27-yard touchdown.

Kentucky can’t score in the red zone, so they’re scoring from outside of the red zone. What a time to be alive.

Kentucky Defense Holds Up to Force a Missed Field Goal

11/2/2024, 8:11:37 PM

Tennessee was rocking and rolling. It looked like things were going to get out of hand until Tennessee native Tre’vonn Rybka came up with a second down sack to put the Vols behind the chains. On third and long, Kentucky stopped the Vols about six yards short of the line to gain.

Rather than letting them kick the field goal from there, Mark Stoops accepted a Tennessee holding penalty. A great tackle on a screen pass forced a 43-yard field goal. Max Gilbert hit a low line drive and missed it, just his fourth miss in 16 attempts this season.

Another Empty Red Zone Possession

11/2/2024, 8:02:19 PM

It wasn’t the 2-yard line, but it is the fourth straight week Kentucky has gotten the ball inside the 10-yard line and came away with zero points.

The second down pass into the end zone was tipped into the air and nearly intercepted. Kentucky escaped by a hair and a Brock Vandagriff QB draw made it 4th and 2. Instead of taking the points, Mark Stoops chose to go for it. The play-action play design was creative, but Tennessee blitzed and played man. Nobody got open, resulting in a turnover on downs. We just can’t have nice things.

An Explosive Play?!?!?!

11/2/2024, 8:01:08 PM

Kentucky did not have one run for 30+ yards this season. On the first play from scrimmage, Jamarion Wilcox went 50 yards right through the heart of the second-best run defense in college football. Kentucky is inside the red zone three plays into the game.

“Vols” signage is absolutely gigantic

11/2/2024, 7:55:33 PM

Tennessee athletic director Danny White brought back the “VOLS” letters at the top of the stadium after fans had been clamoring for them for years. I can’t understate how big they arm. In a monstrosity of a stadium, they stand out in a ridiculous way.

Tennessee wins the toss and defers

11/2/2024, 7:54:08 PM

Josh Heupel has decided to let his defense go on the field first after winning the toss. This game will begin with Kentucky getting the football. All signs point to Brock Vandagriff getting the start.

Can Kentucky avoid another slow start? The Vols have jumped out early in every game since Heupel took over in Knoxville.

Beer Barrel Back?

11/2/2024, 7:46:44 PM

The Beer Barrel was traded back and forth for decades until the DUI tragedy that killed a Kentucky Wildcat one week prior to the 1998 matchup. The original still sits in the Tennessee equipment manager’s office. One Vol fan has created his own version of the Beer Barrel and even had mugs made for the occasion.

Packed House at Neyland

11/2/2024, 7:42:28 PM

Even though Erik Ainge and other UT hacks were describing this game as a CFB Playoff Dress Rehearsal, you couldn’t tell that by the way the fans are treating it. Tennessee fans filled most of the seats in the stadium more than 35 minutes before kickoff. They are not lacking any juice for this Dark Mode game.

Last-Minute Player Updates

11/2/2024, 7:37:29 PM

Daveren Rayner plans on using his redshirt this year. He has one game to retain his eligibility and Mark Stoops tells Tom Leach he will use it tonight. We may even see him some at Jack LB to spell JJ Weaver.