It’s not a casual game for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, no matter what the SEC standings say. The game Saturday night against Kentucky is important for the Volunteers in their hunt for a spot at the College Football Playoffs table. And it’s not just about beating the Wildcats.
Yes, Tennessee is a two-touchdown-plus favorite and should win comfortably. But if the Volunteers continue their first-half woes and barely get past Kentucky, it could cause problems.
First, don’t listen to the noise. Style points matter and the Volunteers need more of them. The main reason is they only have one game left on their schedule against a tough and respected opponent. And that’s Georgia.
Volunteers must create momentum going into Georgia game
Josh Heupel’s Volunteers have two big favorite roles before traveling to Athens to meet the Bulldogs on Nov. 16. After Kentucky, the Volunteers get a chance to run over Mississippi State. There’s no realistic scenario where the Vols struggle against that bunch, so it’s all about Kentucky.
And although the Wildcats’ 3-5 record isn’t scaring anybody, they do have some redeeming qualities that make them more than a pushover. Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel detailed their abilities on the SEC Coaches Teleconference, via on3.com.
“You look at Kentucky, a team that does play all three phases of the football game together,” Heupel said. “Defensively, statistically, one of the best in the league and in the country. That’s their run defense and their pass defense as well. Some guys over there that we’ve played for a long time. Offensively, got to do a great job against the run. They’re big and physical up front. Quarterback can be a part of their run game, and they got dynamic playmakers out on the perimeter and in the backfield. Same thing on special teams. So big test for us. Looking forward to it and should be a great environment.”
Some of that is coach-speak, of course, as Heupel wisely pays a little pregame respect to the Wildcats. But it’s also important to remember the Vols haven’t done well in the first half, getting shut out for three straight games for the first time since 1963. That’s a long time ago. That won’t happen against the Wildcats, no matter how good their defense can be. But they held Ole Miss to 17 points and Georgia to 13, so it’s reasonable to expect a good effort.
Kentucky offense should be mild cats to UT
Kentucky doesn’t score well. The Wildcats are averaging 19.1 points per game and only 13.5 against SEC opponents. Meanwhile, the Volunteers have held all of their opponents under 20 points, which is remarkable in this offensive day and age.
There seems to be little doubt UT will win this game. The biggest question is how and when. UT has likely hurt itself in the CFP’s eyes because of the bad first-half performances. So the Volunteers not only need to win, they need to score early. Three first-half touchdowns should do the trick, and it should be possible. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava simply needs to hit one deep-ball touchdown early. That will set the stage, and UT’s defense dominating UK’s offense will create field position for the other two scores.
A CFP berth is well within reach, but the Volunteers must make Kentucky look like a breeze. If they don’t, they may have to beat Georgia to get into the dance.
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