Kentucky is nationally ranked. That doesn't make it a threat to Tennessee | Opinion
When Florida recovered an onside kick in the final seconds, most Tennessee football fans thought: "No, not again."
When Alabama turned a botched fourth-quarter handoff into a fumble recovery and touchdown, most UT fans thought; "No, not again."
Their concern was understandable. They’re conditioned to such thinking my having watched years of mediocre – and sometimes worse – displays of football.
But the unbeaten Vols turned both potential disasters into monumental victories. They beat Florida for the second time in 18 games. They ended a 15-game losing streak to Alabama.
Consequently, their fans have had to readjust their thinking. They no longer must view the slightest setback as a portent of impending doom. Coach Josh Heupel’s Vols (7-0, 3-0 SEC) respond to adversity with a shrug and a touchdown. They play with the confidence of a championship team even though this program hasn’t come close to a championship in way too long.
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If not for the sudden change in mindset, UT fans might even be worried about next Saturday’s game against Kentucky (7 p.m., ESPN).
The Wildcats (5-2, 2-2) have won a grand total of three games at Neyland Stadium in 58 years, which averages out to about one win every 19 years. Based on that track record, the Wildcats should be due for another victory around 2040.
It’s worth nothing that Kentucky has won two of the past five games against Tennessee. That’s a tribute to coach Mark Stoops, who could become the dean of SEC coaches if Alabama’s Nick Saban experiences too many more Saturdays like the one against UT.
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Kentucky’s revival under Stoops has been nothing like Tennessee’s under Heupel. Stoops lost 10 games in his first season and didn’t have a winning record until his fourth year. But he’s headed for his sixth winning season in his past seven years. That includes two 10-win seasons.
Heupel revived the Vols from the 3-7 wreckage of former coach Jeremy Pruitt in just one season. He won seven games in his first season and is 7-0 this season.
The questions surrounding UT football have changed as drastically as the record. The old question: "Can the Vols qualify for a bowl?" The new question: "Can the Vols qualify for the College Football Playoff?"
UT’s lofty expectations will provide rare incentive for the Wildcats. They haven’t been in position to do this much damage to Tennessee football since 1998. The Vols were rolling toward an undefeated, national championship season when Kentucky came to Neyland Stadium. Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch passed for 337 yards but didn’t have nearly enough help as the Vols cruised to a 59-21 victory.
Once again, 18th-ranked Kentucky has a quarterback likely to be taken in the first round of the next NFL draft. Will Levis showed his potential last season in a 45-42 loss to Tennessee when he completed 31 of 39 passes for 372 yards. Could he produce similar numbers Saturday?
That's not out of the question. Tennessee's secondary has been depleted by injury and wasn't exactly excelling when at full strength.
But check the scores before you get the notion that Kentucky could sabotage a potential matchup of unbeatens between Tennessee and Georgia the following Saturday.
Kentucky’s highest-scoring game has been 37 points in its season opener against Miami (Ohio). In four SEC games, the Wildcats haven’t scored more than 27 points and are averaging 21.5 points in conference play.
You can’t beat Tennessee with 27 points. Not only do the Vols lead the nation in scoring, their offense is on the upswing. In their four games against Power 5 teams, they scored — in chronological order — 34 on Pittsburgh, 38 on Florida, 40 on LSU and 52 on Alabama.
At that rate of improvement, they might score 59 points against the Wildcats — just like they did in 1998.
John Adams is a senior columnist. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.