Three things I’ll be watching for when Kentucky plays Tennessee on Saturday night

Three things I’ll be watching Saturday night when No. 19-ranked Kentucky makes the trip to Knoxville to face third-ranked Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. ESPN has the television coverage for the 7 p.m. kickoff.

1. That all-important first quarter

It has been pointed out numerous times this week, but it bears repeating. Kentucky can’t afford to fall behind early. Tennessee has been burying opponents in the first 15 minutes. The Vols led LSU 13-0 after the initial quarter on the way to a 40-13 win. It led Alabama 21-7 after the first quarter. The Tide eventually caught up but had to work hard to do so. And Tennessee ended up with a 52-49 victory, snapping a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide.

How has Kentucky started games? In its four SEC games, UK trailed Florida 16-13 at the half; trailed Ole Miss 14-0 early in Oxford; trailed South Carolina 7-0 after one quarter and was tied 3-3 at the half against Mississippi State. Rich Scangarello’s offense needs a faster start to quiet what figures to be a raucous Neyland Stadium on Saturday.

2. The negative-yardage plays

Because Tennessee’s offense is so productive — first nationally in scoring and total offense — the Tennessee defense can afford to be more aggressive. The Vols can take more chances. If a blitz fails and the Vols are hit with a big play, so what. Josh Heupel’s offense is likely to come right back with a score of its own. If the game develops into a shootout, Tennessee believes it has the advantage.

On the flip side, Kentucky can’t afford negative-yardage plays. The Cats want to stay on schedule in hopes of long drives that keep the Tennessee offense on the sideline. That has been a problem to this point. UK ranks 115th nationally in sacks allowed (26) and 94th in negative-yardage plays allowed (46).

3. Tennessee’s wide splits

Unlike most teams, the Vols line up their wide receivers outside the numbers, close to the sideline, creating wide splits and plenty of space for their pass-catching playmakers. It’s one reason that the Vols lead the nation in plays of 40-plus yards with 21. In last season’s 45-42 win over Kentucky at Kroger Field, Tennessee scored on pass plays of 75 and 72 yards on its first two possessions.

The wide splits also help the Tennessee run game. The formations make it difficult for opponents’ defensive backs to provide run support. And despite its reputation for big plays, UT likes to run the ball. Through seven games, the Vols have 307 rushing attempts compared to 237 passing attempts.

What’s the best way to deal with those wide splits? Win one-on-one matchups. The Vols force opponents into more man coverage and rely on their speedy wide receivers — Jalin Hyatt, Bru McCoy and Ramel Keyton — to beat that coverage. Can Kentucky’s secondary win its fair share? We’ll find out.

This story was originally published October 29, 2022 at 6:00 AM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

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John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription