Punishments Kill the Kentucky Drive

11/2/2024, 9:01:47 PM

Tennessee was the first to be penalized and was flagged four times early in the game. It finally bit Kentucky. Brock Vandagriff rushed to regain some yards lost on a sack, but none of that was the case. A holding penalty, followed by a false start, supported Kentucky inside their own 5-yard line.

Luckily, Aidan Laros’ leg saved the Cats. The Kentucky punter bombed it 56 yards. The Tennessee back couldn’t catch it cleanly and immediately recovered the muffed punt. Tennessee starts the ride on its own 36.

ANOTHER TENNESSEE MISSED FIELD GOAL!

11/2/2024, 8:57:41 PM

Kentucky’s defense came up with two big plays in the red zone. Tennessee had a touchdown until Jordan Lovett absolutely rocked the tight end to throw the ball free. On third and long, Nico was hit by three British defenders before Tyreese Fearbry picked up the sack. The 40-yard field goal was missed, leaving the Vols off the scoreboard, still trailing 7-0.

Going into tonight’s game, Max Gilbert was perfect on field goals of 45 yards or less. He has two misses from within that distance tonight.

Barion Brown is sidelined with a rib injury

11/2/2024, 8:50:12 PM

The Kentucky wide receiver picked up 15 yards on a screen pass. When he was tackled, he was shot in the ribs. Dick Gabriel reports that he left the injury tent with ice on his side. Consider him questionable to return.

First quarter stats: Kentucky leads 7-0

11/2/2024, 8:44:06 PM

Tennessee has gone four consecutive first quarters without scoring a point.

Wasn’t this a fine?

11/2/2024, 8:39:53 PM

Before Brock Vandagriff was intercepted, he scrambled out of bounds. A Tennessee player on the sideline did not attempt to catch the Kentucky QB. He reached out his hands and knocked Vandagriff to the ground. The official looked straight at it, but no flag was thrown. Why?

Kentucky takes it back!

11/2/2024, 8:38:00 PM

Two plays after the Kentucky interception, Keeshawn Silver ripped the ball out of Dylan Sampson’s hands and Jamon Dumas-Johnson recovered it. This game is approaching Banana Land.

Another Tip-Ball interception

11/2/2024, 8:33:31 PM

If Brock Vandagriff throws a pick, chances are it happened after it hit one of his players. He tried to lead Hardley Gilmore inside, away from the defense. The freshman extended his hand and it slid through his hands and into those of the Tennessee defender. Vols’ ball at Kentucky’s 45-yard line.

Tennessee drops a touchdown

11/2/2024, 8:27:48 PM

It looked like Kentucky was making a costly penalty. A facemask cleared a Tennessee 3rd and 14 and moved the chains for the Vols. Nico saw the match he wanted and turned a deep ball to Chris Brazzell. It was a beautiful pass and looked like a 49-yard touchdown, but the Tulane transfer couldn’t survive the impact of the ground. The ball dropped and the Cats were able to down Nico on third and long, giving Kentucky two straight stops.

Look at that Tight End Touchdown

11/2/2024, 8:23:19 PM

Throwing it more to the extreme actually worked.

Explosive crime?!?! Kentucky scores first!

11/2/2024, 8:18:32 PM

Benching Brock Vandagriff lit a fire under the worst passing offense in the SEC. He connected with Hardley Gilmore for a 25-yard gain to start the drive, then hit Dane Key on third-and-8 for a gain of 17. They finished the drive by going five wide and NO QB draw to walk. They threw and Josh Kattus was wide open for a 27-yard touchdown.

Kentucky can’t score in the red zone, so they score from outside the red zone. What a time to be alive.

Kentucky Defense holds on and forces a missed field goal

11/2/2024, 8:11:37 PM

Tennessee rocked and rolled. It looked like things were going to get out of hand until Tennessee native Tre’vonn Rybka came up with a second down to put the Vols behind the chains. On third and long, Kentucky stopped the Vols about six yards short of the line to make the gain.

Instead of letting them kick the field goal from there, Mark Stoops accepted a Tennessee holding penalty. A great tackle on a screen pass forced a 43-yard field goal. Max Gilbert hit a low line drive and missed, just his fourth miss in 16 attempts this season.

Another vacant property in the Red Zone

11/2/2024, 8:02:19 PM

It wasn’t the 2-yard line, but it’s the fourth week in a row that Kentucky got the ball inside the 10-yard line and came away with zero points.

The second down pass to the end zone was deflected into the air and nearly intercepted. Kentucky narrowly escaped and a draw from Brock Vandagriff QB made it 4th and 2. Instead of getting the points, Mark Stoops opted to go for it. The play-action play design was creative, but Tennessee blew and played man. No one got open, resulting in a turnover on downs. We just can’t have nice things.

An explosive play?!?!?!

11/2/2024, 8:01:08 PM

Kentucky didn’t have a single run for more than 30 yards this season. On the first play of the scrimmage, Jamarion Wilcox went 50 yards straight through the heart of the second-best defense in college football. Kentucky is inside the red zone three plays into the game.

The “Vols” signage is absolutely gigantic

11/2/2024, 7:55:33 PM

Tennessee athletic director Danny White brought back the “VOLS” letters at the top of the stadium after fans had been calling for them for years. I cannot underestimate how big they are. In a monstrosity of a stadium they stand out in a ridiculous way.

Tennessee wins the coin toss and grants a postponement

11/2/2024, 7:54:08 PM

Josh Heupel has decided to let his defense go on the field first after winning the coin toss. This game starts with Kentucky getting the football. All signs point to Brock Vandagriff getting the start.

Can Kentucky avoid another slow start? The Vols have come out early in every game since Heupel took over in Knoxville.

Beer keg back?

11/2/2024, 7:46:44 PM

The Beer Barrel was traded back and forth for decades until the DUI tragedy that killed a Kentucky Wildcat a week before the 1998 game. The original still sits in the equipment manager’s office in Tennessee. One Vol fan created his own version of the Beer Barrel and even had mugs made for the occasion.

Packed house in Neyland

11/2/2024, 7:42:28 PM

While Erik Ainge and other UT hackers describe this game as a CFB Playoff dress rehearsal, you couldn’t tell by the way the fans were interacting with it. Tennessee fans filled most of the seats in the stadium more than 35 minutes before kickoff. They don’t lack any juice for this Dark Mode game.

Last minute player updates

11/2/2024, 7:37:29 PM

Daveren Rayner plans to redshirt this year. He has one game to maintain his eligibility and Mark Stoops tells Tom Leach he will use it tonight. We might even see him at Jack LB for a few to spell JJ Weaver.