In 2017, UK-UT Grid Rivalry Is Bigger Than Bragging Rights

Roles are reversed in what has become a lopsided series. It’s UK’s turn this year.

Kentucky’s Matt Roark is carried off the field by fans after UK defeated Tennessee, 10-7, in a game played in Lexington, KY on Nov 26, 2011. (photo, Knoxville News-Sentinel),

Kentucky and Tennessee have been playing each other since 1893. It’s one of college football’s oldest rivalries. Called “The Battle for the Beer Barrel” it’s also a lopsided rivalry. UT has won 79 times, including 31 of the past 32 meetings. The Wildcats’ lone recent win came in 2011–an ugly 10-7 victory in Lexington.

But the script appears to be flipped as these old rivals prepare to face each other in Lexington on Saturday night.

Kentucky heads into the UT game with a solid 5-2 record (2-2, SEC). That’s good for fourth place in the SEC East, two games behind division-leading Georgia.

The situation is very different in Knoxville. The Volunteers stand 3-4 (0-4, SEC)–last place in the SEC East. If UT doesn’t win on Saturday, the Vols could go winless in SEC play for the first time in history.

That reality adds extra paprika to this year’s edition of the rivalry–the 113^th meeting between these two teams.

What’s at Stake for Tennessee? 

Butch Jones’ job is on the line. Jones was already on the hot seat going into this season and that seat has become considerably hotter. A loss to Kentucky would drop the Vols to 3-5 overall and 0-5 in SEC play. Could Louisville’s Bobby Petrino begin packing his bags for Rocky Top? To avoid Jones’ demise, here’s what needs to happen….

That look says it all (photo, SEC Country)

The offense needs to find its rhythm. There’s no sugar-coating it: the Volunteers’ offense is terrible. Tennessee has not scored a touchdown in over 13 quarters of play, and the team managed just 108 yards against Alabama last Saturday. Quarterbacks Quinten Dormandy and Jarrett Guarantano have been grave disappointments this season–two big reasons why Tennessee has scored only 29 total points in its last four games. It may be time for some major course corrections in Knoxville to correct a faulty QB situation.

This team needs to become bowl eligible. The task of reaching the 6-win plateau may be insurmountable if Tennessee loses to UK. A loss means the Vols will need to win at least three of the last four games, but…. Southern Miss is contending for a C-USA West division title. Missouri–with QB Drew Lock and an explosive offense–will play UT at home. And Tennessee closes out the regular season against rejuvenated LSU and upstart Vanderbilt. With that schedule, Coach Jones needs the breathing room that only a win against Kentucky can give him.

What’s at Stake for Kentucky?

Become bowl eligible now. In recent years Kentucky has experienced what I’ll call “late season theatrics.” The Wildcats were 5-1 in 2014 before ending the season with six straight setbacks. In 2015, UK gave up a 21-0 lead in its bowl-clinching game against Louisville. Yes, UK was able to seal the deal last year, but it didn’t come easily. The Wildcats lost to Georgia and Tennessee before finally beating FCS Austin Peay. This year it could be different–becoming bowl eligible with four games to go.

Stephen Johnson (photo, Saturday Down South)

Re-establish a steady ground game. Mississippi State exposed the Wildcats big-time on Saturday afternoon, holding UK to 115 yards rushing. That showed just how much Kentucky’s run-game has declined without the services of All-SEC center Jon Toth and All-SEC RB Stanley “Boom” Williams. Benny Snell, Jr., who thrived in the multi-threat system last season as a frosh, hasn’t been able to perform at the same level with the absence of “Boom.” To address gaps, dual-threat QB Stephen Johnson needs to execute his reads and be ready to attack. Freshman Sihiem King needs to step up to take the pressure off Snell.

Gain momentum for the stretch run. 2017 could be one of the best seasons in UK’s football history. A win against UT would propel the Wildcats into November with a solid 6-2 record. After Tennessee, Kentucky hosts Ole’ Miss and travels to Vanderbilt. ESPN Power Football Index projects both as UK wins. Then–after a tough road contest at Georgia–UK returns home to face a Louisville team that has stumbled this year. If the ‘Cats can beat Tennessee–and are able to win three out of four in November–then they’ll finish with 9-plus wins for the first time since 1977–when UK went 10-1, 6-0 in the conference. The Cats beat UT that year, too.

Prediction

I think this game will be a back-and-forth affair, undecided until the fourth quarter. In the middle of the fourth, QB Stephen Johnson will scramble in for the go-ahead TD. Then, UK will make a late defensive stop in its own territory to finish off the Vols.

Let’s make the final score UK 34, UT 27.

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Cameron Brown is a former Webster County High School basketball player and an undergraduate student at Western Kentucky University, double majoring in journalism and history, with a minor in broadcasting. In addition to being a sports columnist and sportswriter, he is also the Voice of South Warren Spartans football for the Sporting Times Broadcast Network. Contact him at cameron.brown288@topper.wku.edu