Kentucky players to watch against Tennessee

Kentucky is back at Kroger Field on Saturday to play their third SEC home game of the 2025 season. That power conference losing streak at home has climbed to 10 games. Will that come to an end on Saturday night?

UK will have to beat a program that has tormented them over the last four decades.

Tennessee almost always plays one of their best games of the season when they come to Lexington and appear to a difficult matchup for the Wildcats due to their style of play. What will the home underdog need to do to end that long losing streak and finally deliver a win at home?

The Cats will need to play one of their best games of the season. These are the players the Big Blue will need to step up.

Kentucky’s defensive perimeter must play well

Tennessee will use extreme formation spacing to stretch out defenses and create massive holes in zone coverage. This will allow the Vols to run into light boxes and create easy reads for their quarterback. This veer and shoot attack forces defensive backs to play man even when they would prefer to not to play man.

Anytime you play this offense, you cornerbacks have to hold up in isolation. Kentucky’s will be challenged on Saturday night.

The Cats will not be playing many snaps in base. Subpackages will rule the day. Outside cornerbacks JQ Hardaway and Terhyon Nichols and starting nickel Quay’Sheed Scott will be asked to play a ton of snaps. This trio must hold up and make its fair share of plays.

Hardaway (32 tackles, 1 interception, 3.2% missed tackle rate, 379 snaps) likely will not leave the field. The same is probably true of Nichols (13 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 10.5% missed tackle rate, 290 snaps) who is likely coming off the best game of his career. Scott (17 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 23.5% missed tackle rate, 229 snaps) also played much better against Texas but tackling efficiency has been a problem all year.

UK’s corners will be placed on islands against three good Tennessee wide receivers. The Cats must make some plays and win more than they lose. A lot is riding on the coverage unit.

Cutter Boley could have a big game

Redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley is getting better with each start. The former four-star recruit made a leap in Week 8 when he recorded 258 passing yards on a 79.5 percent completion rate with 69 non-sack rushing yards. The quarterback continually kept drives alive and led two successful two-minute drills agaisnt one of the best defenses in college football.

Boley will not be facing one of the best defenses in college football this weekend.

Tennessee’s defense ranks No. 105 in 20-plus yards plays allowed, No. 115 in success rate, and No. 119 in EPA/play. Syracuse, Georgia, UAB, Arkansas, and Alabama all threw for over 250 yards against this defense. The Vols are playing without their two starting cornerbacks and that has showed up this season. The pass rush has some bite (No. 11 nationally in sack rate) but the run defense also has issues three SEC offenses rolling up over 200 non-sack rushing yards.

Kentucky has been using the quick passing game to get drives rolling. Boley has been getting the ball out on time and keeping the offense ahead of the chains. The young quarterback could have a very big game. The Cats will need to score points to win this game.

UK has to end the current two offensive touchdowns or less streak to have a chance to win this game. The Cats will need a good game from Boley. The quarterback will have a chance to have another performance where he records 300-plus total yards.

Scouting Report: Tennessee Volunteers

Kentucky will need interior defensive line production

Tennessee has become a more pass-first offense this season, but over 50 percent of Joey Aguilar‘s dropbacks have included a play-action fake. Defenses must defend the run first. They must rush the passer second. That makes this offense difficult to defend. It’s why interior play is so important.

When negative plays are created against this offense, it’s usually due to a defensive tackle beating a block quickly and blowing up a play. Kentucky will need its defensive front to strike, run fit, and then get after the passer.

Redshirt sophomore Tavion Gadson has arguably been Kentucky’s best defensive player this season. The former high three-star recruit is second on the team in pressures (13), is sixth on the team in tackles (20), and has recorded 1.5 sacks. Every week we’re seeing Gadson pop and make a big splash play in the backfield. UK will need a couple of those on Saturday night.

David Gusta (9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 9 pressures), Kahlil Saunders (19 tackles, 13 pressures, 209 snaps), and Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (18 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 9 pressures) are also candidates to potentially wreck Tennessee’s front and create the big negative plays that are so hard to find when facing the Vols. Kentucky’s front must be stout against the run while disruptive off play-action fakes for UK to create consistent stops.

Kentucky needs an improved traditional rushing performance

Kentucky’s tailbacks combined to rush for 53 yards on 18 carries against Georgia. One week later, that unit combined to rush for 92 yards on 32 carries against Texas. This has been a problem over the last two games. The offense must get it fixed.

Seth McGowan found some success on the ground against Georgia and was a real weapon as a receiver against Texas, but his status is in doubt for Saturday night. Even if he goes, the New Mexico State transfer might be limited. UK is going to need more from the other backs.

Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell has rushed for just 145 yards on 53 carries (2.7 yards per rush) since going for 129 yards on 14 carries in the Week 1 win over Toledo. The 227-pound tailback has broken just two tackles in four SEC games and was stuffed three times on short-yardage carries last week. Kentucky’s needs better production out of their big back.

Dowdell could get a lot more opportunities this weekend. The Cats will need him to produce when his number is called. Tennessee’s run defense has been a problem. UK must take advantage. Don’t be surprised if redshirt freshman Jason Patterson gets some extended action if McGowan cannot go and the run game struggles with Dowdell.

A lot will be on Cutter Boley’s plate, but UK needs the traditional run game to start producing more efficient results to help open the vertical passing opportunities off play-action.