Tennessee football secured a significant victory against archrival Alabama last week, moving into the top 10 of both national rankings. After a bye week, the Vols remain solidly in the top 10.
In the AP Poll, the Vols hold the No. 7 spot, as every team ranked above them also won this weekend. They climbed one position to No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches Poll after LSU’s defeat, which caused them to fall to No. 16.
Tennessee’s victory against Alabama improved their conference record to 3-1. Texas A&M is now the only undefeated team in the conference after their win over LSU. Following that crucial win, the Aggies are ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll, giving them the sole lead in the SEC. The Vols have completed their two bye weeks for the regular season and will now continue with their remaining schedule without further breaks.
Next, Tennessee will take on Kentucky under the lights at Neyland Stadium. The Wildcats have struggled significantly this season, recently losing 24-10 to Auburn, which had been 0-4 in the conference until that win.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has a perfect record of 3-0 against Kentucky during his tenure. Last season, the Vols won 33-27 in Lexington, largely due to a standout performance from running back Dylan Sampson. He is expected to play a crucial role again, especially since Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter rushed for 278 yards against Kentucky.
Currently, Tennessee is favored by 14.5 points over Kentucky, according to DraftKings.