UK football blows out Tennessee Tech to move within one win of bowl eligibility
Any fears that an undefeated Tennessee Tech team might give Kentucky more of a challenge than the typical FCS opponent were quickly set to rest Saturday.
Kentucky led 14-0 by the time Tennessee Tech recorded its first first down. The Wildcats led 28-7 at halftime and despite playing a gaggle of little-used backups for most of the fourth quarter cruised to a 42-10 victory to move within one win of bowl eligibility.
The game marked a chance for Kentucky to find experience for several defensive players who could be needed in the final two games at Vanderbilt and Louisville. The Wildcats were without four defenders who opened the season as starters: outside linebacker Sam Greene, inside linebacker Alex Afari, cornerback DJ Waller and safety Jordan Lovett. Backup cornerbacks Terhyon Nichols and Nasir Addison were also unavailable, forcing freshman Grant Grayton to make his first career start.
Quarterback Cutter Boley completed 18 of 21 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 24 yards and one touchdown on three carries. Running back Seth McGowan scored three touchdowns in the first half, giving him 12 for the season.
Safety Cam Dooley, who took over a starting spot after Lovett’s season-ending injury last week, recorded his first career interception and forced a fumble.
Kentucky now needs to be one of Vanderbilt or Louisville to reach six wins and bowl eligibility. Another win would send UK to postseason play for the ninth time in 10 years.
Turning point
Tennessee Tech entered the game leading all of FCS in points per game (45.2) but went three-and-out on its first drive against Kentucky. The Wildcats then wasted no time asserting their physical advantage, marching 88 yards on 11 plays for their first score. The big play on the drive was a 43-yard pass from Boley to Kendrick Law. McGowan gave the Wildcats their first lead with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Any hope of a competitive game ended when the UK defense forced another three-and-out on the following drive before Boley scored UK’s second touchdown on a 30-yard scramble that saw him lower his shoulder and run over a Tennessee Tech defender inside the 5-yard line.
Player of the game
Kentucky has made a point of getting the ball to Law in space throughout its second-half surge, but that goal appeared even more important on a day where a strong wind wreaked havoc on balls in the air. Law recorded career highs in catches (11) and receiving yards (124). The performance marked his second 100-yard receiving game in the last month after not recording more than 64 receiving yards in his first 45 college games.
Key stat
Since the schedule permanently moved to 12 games in 2002, adding an annual matchup against an FCS opponent, the Wildcats are 23-0 in those games. (There was no FCS game in 2020 when the SEC moved to a conference-only schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic.) Kentucky has never lost to an opponent from the division formerly known as I-AA since it was created in 1978.
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 4:34 PM.