Kentucky vs. Tennessee Prediction
After suffering their first loss of the season last week in Athens, Georgia, No. 18 Tennessee will look to rebound on Saturday afternoon when it hosts unranked Kentucky at 12:00 p.m. ET. Is this too much of a letdown spot to lay the points with the Vols?
Game Snapshot
133 Kentucky Wildcats (+6.5) at 134 Tennessee Vols (-6.5); o/u 45.5
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, October 17, 2020
Kentucky Wildcats Game Notes
Kentucky redshirt senior QB Terry Wilson completed just eight-of-20 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown while rushing 13 times for 50 yards in Saturday’s 24-2 win over Mississippi State. Just looking at the stat line, there is no way to guess that Wilson (6’3/215) won this game. And yet, the Wildcats QB escaped with the victory. If nothing else, Wilson did well to avoid giving up any costly turnovers, compared to the six interceptions Mississippi State’s QBs threw. Wilson will need to be less like the scattershot he was on Saturday and more like the passer he was against Ole Miss and Auburn this season if the Wildcats want to string together some more convincing wins.
Tennessee Vols Game Notes
Tennessee HC Jeremy Pruitt made it clear on Monday that redshirt senior QB Jarrett Guarantano remains the team’s starter in the aftermath of Saturday’s 44-21 loss at Georgia. Guarantano (6’4/213) didn’t have a terrible game throwing the ball in Athens, as he completed 23-of-36 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. But he lost two fumbles, and the lack of big plays after halftime eliminated any chance of the Volunteers pulling off the upset. That being said Pruitt continues to have faith in the redshirt senior, stating emphatically on Monday that Guarantano is his guy. “Jarrett’s our quarterback,” Pruitt said. “He gives us the best ability to have success.”
Kentucky vs. Tennessee Betting Prediction
Kentucky is just 1-7 against the spread in its last eight games versus Tennessee and failed to cover in five of its previous six trips to Nashville. The Wildcats are also just 11-23 at the betting window in their last 34 games coming off a loss and failed to cover in 14 of their previous 17 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous contest. Tennessee, meanwhile, is 4-1 against the number in its last five games played in October and is 6-2-1 against the spread in its last nine conference games. The Vols showed last week that they’re not quite ready to take down the big boys in the SEC but Kentucky doesn’t fit that bill. I like Tennessee to get back on track today versus a lesser opponent.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 7 BETTING PREDICTION: TENNESSEE VOLS -6.5