How UK football and undefeated Tennessee Tech match up — with a game prediction
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky relies on freshman QB Cutter Boley’s accuracy and home advantage.
- Tennessee Tech fields a balanced offense led by QB Kekoa Visperas’ dual threat.
- Prediction: UK’s defense helps push Kentucky to a 36-28 win.
How the Kentucky Wildcats (4-5, 2-5 SEC) and the undefeated Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (10-0, 7-0 OVC/Big South Football Association) match up at each position for Saturday’s college football contest — with a game prediction:
Quarterbacks
• Kentucky redshirt freshman Cutter Boley (67.1% completions, 1,544 passing yards, 12 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions) was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time for his play in UK’s 38-7 rout of Florida last Saturday. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Lexington Christian Academy product completed 18 of 23 passes for 168 yards and two TDs with one pick and a lost fumble vs. the Gators. In what is UK football’s home finale, Boley will look to continue his strong play in front of the home folks. In the five home games in which Boley has played in 2025, he has completed 72.7% of his throws (88 of 121) for 1,034 yards with nine TDs vs. three picks.
• A transfer from Eastern Washington, Tennessee Tech’s Kekoa Visperas is having an All-America caliber season. The 6-foot, 193-pound product of Eatonville, Washington, has completed 65.4% of his throws for 2,104 yards with 22 touchdown passes vs. four interceptions. The kind of dual threat QB that has traditionally given UK fits, Visperas has also run 77 times for a net 440 yards and three touchdowns. If Visperas has an Achilles heel, it is a tendency to fumble. He has fumbled seven times in 2025, through Tech has only lost two of them.
Advantage: Even
Running backs
• Kentucky’s Dante Dowdell (441 rushing yards, two touchdowns, 5 yards per carry average) ran for 104 yards on seven carries in the victory over Florida, including a 65-yard touchdown jaunt. Billed as a power back when he transferred to UK from Nebraska, the 6-2, 227-pound Dowdell’s only two TDs to date this season have come on runs of 79 and 65 yards. Senior Seth McGowan (team-high 621 rushing yards, nine TDs, 4.6 ypc) ran for 92 yards and two TDs on 22 carries vs. Florida. Redshirt freshman Jason Patterson (175 rushing yards, one TD, 4 ypc) caught a 15-yard touchdown pass vs. Florida.
• A transfer from Texas Southern, Tennessee Tech’s Quintell Quinn (665 rushing yards, nine TDs, 7.5 ypc) has had three games of more than 100 yards rushing and has scored at least one touchdown in eight of 10 games. Q’Daryius Jennings (497 rushing yards, 10 TDs, 6.7 ypc) and Aidan Littles (219 rushing yards, four TDs, 5.6 ypc; eight catches for 70 yards, two touchdowns) give Tennessee Tech a trio of effective ball carriers.
Advantage: Kentucky
Wide receivers
• Kentucky senior slot receiver Kendrick Law caught a team-high six passes for 44 yards vs. Florida. A transfer from Alabama, the 6-foot, 205-pound product of Shreveport, Louisiana, leads UK in receptions (36) and receiving yards (395) and is tied for the lead in touchdown catches (three). Oklahoma transfer JJ Hester caught a 29-yard TD pass vs. Florida. The 6-5, 230-pound product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has made only five catches this season — but three have gone for touchdowns.
• Tennessee Tech spreads the wealth among a bevy of wideouts. Junior Maury Sullivan leads in receptions (35 for 472 yards and four touchdowns). Redshirt senior Noah Robinson (31 catches, 473 yards, six TDs) is the leader in receiving yards and TDs. Redshirt senior Tremel Jones (28, 303, two) and redshirt junior Tre’ Holloway (26, 425, three) are also core targets.
Advantage: Even
Tight ends
• Kentucky sophomore Willie Rodriguez (16 catches, 217 yards, one touchdown) caught an 8-yard pass vs. Florida. The 6-4, 252-pound Covington Catholic alumnus has now caught at least one pass in each of UK’s nine games. Senior Josh Kattus caught two passes for six yards vs. Florida. A 6-4, 247-pound Cincinnati product, Kattus has 16 catches for 190 yards and two TDs this season.
• A transfer from Florida State, Tennessee Tech tight end Brian Courtney has made 17 receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Backup Tyler Nix has three catches for 13 yards.
Advantage: Kentucky
Offensive line
• Kentucky offensive tackles Shiyazh Pete (left) and Alex Wollschlaeger (right) both “transferred up,” leaving New Mexico State and Bowling Green State, respecitvely, to test themselves in the SEC. Mark Stoops proclaimed himself satisfied with the performance through nine games of the tackles. “In general, their fight has been tremendous,” Stoops said. “They’ve been very physical in the run game. And, in the pass game, very solid. So not perfect, but, playing very well.”
• Tennessee Tech right tackle Logan Weedman, a 6-5, 295-pound senior, anchors an offensive front that starts all seniors and/or super-seniors. Tech has allowed 16 quarterback sacks, tied for 36th best in the FCS, and is rushing for 219.5 yards a game, seventh best in the FCS.
Advantage: Kentucky
Defensive line
• With Kentucky tackle Tavion Gadson out against Florida due to injury, Wyoming transfer Jaden Williams got some run — and made the most out of it. The 6-4, 295-pound junior tied for the UK team lead vs. the Gators with six tackles. “Really good to see,” Mark Stoops said of Williams’ play, “Just really good.”
• Tennessee Tech defense tackle Chima Iwuagwu is disruptive. The 6-1, 265-pounds super-senior has 25 tackles, eight tackles for loss and has sacked opposing quarterbacks eight times. Iwuagwu has also recovered a fumble and broken up a pass.
Advantage: Kentucky
Linebackers
• Kentucky MLB Daveren Rayner was named SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week for his play vs. Florida. An Indianapolis product who began his college career at Northern Illinois, Rayner had an interception, a pass deflection that resulted in an interception, five tackles and a quarterback sack vs. the Gators. Rayner has now had at least one tackle for loss in the past five games. Rayner is the only one of UK’s normal starting linebackers who will play against Tennessee Tech. OLB/edge OLB/edge rusher Sam Greene is out for the year after suffering an apparent leg injury vs. Florida. WLB Alex Afari Jr. will miss at least the Tennessee Tech contest due to injury.
• Tennessee Tech WLB Theron Gaines is having a monster senior season. The 6-1, 237-pound Gaines has made 71 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 QB sacks. He has also recovered two fumbles and forced a fumble that he scooped and scored from 10 yards out in the Golden Eagles’ 21-9 win at Eastern Illinois last week. Gaines has also picked off one pass, which he returned 60 yards for a TD in Tech’s 72-14 win over Davidson.
Advantage: Tennessee Tech
Defensive backs
• Kentucky redshirt senior free safety Jordan Lovett suffered what will be a college-career-ending injury in last week’s win over Florida. Replacing Lovett will be sophomore Cam Dooley. Mark Stoops expressed confidence in the 6-2, 208-pound Dooley, a product of Valley, Alabama. “Cam’s a guy that we look at as a starter. He’ll do a nice job,” Stoops said. Dooley had four tackles, half a TFL and recovered a fumble vs. Florida. Strong safety Ty Bryant picked off his team-leading third pass of the season against Florida.
• Tennessee Tech field cornerback Andrew Smith has intercepted three passes, one of which he returned 94 yards for a touchdown in Tech’s 35-8 win over Tennessee State. Free safety Tim Coutras has made 55 tackles, an interception and broken up five passes.
Advantage: Kentucky
Special teams
• Kentucky senior punter Aidan Laros (44.5 yards a kick, 19 of 36 punts stopped inside opponents’ 20) did not have to punt one time vs. Florida. Place-kicker Jacob Kauwe booted a 39-yard field goal vs. the Gators. Kauwe is 12 of 15 on field-goal tries on the season with a long make of 51 yards. UK’s season-long misadventures fielding punts finally bit the Cats vs. Florida when the Gators converted a Ja’Mori Maclin fumble into a short-field touchdown.
• Tennessee Tech place-kicker Dom LeBlanc is 7 of 11 on field goals with a long make of 47 yards. Punter Spencer Ashby has stopped 11 of his 23 kicks inside opponents’ 20-yard line but is averaging only 37.6 yards a kick. Junior punt returner Tre’ Holloway had a 53-yard touchdown return vs. Cumberland, Tennessee, and is averaging 15.2 yards on 18 returns. Tennessee Tech has blocked four kicks this season.
Advantage: Even
Prediction
Kentucky 36, Tennessee Tech 28
