Skip to main content
Tennessee

How It Happened: No. 17 Tennessee throttles Kentucky 56-34

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey10/26/25GrantRamey
Chris Brazzell. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Chris Brazzell. Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Joey Aguilar and No. 17 Tennessee feasted with big plays on offense and the Vols got enough stops on defense to throttle Kentucky 56-34 Saturday night at Kroger Field.

Aguilar threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, completing passes of 47, 50, 56 and 62 on the night. Chris Brazzell II had 138 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown, Mike Matthews had 107 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown, and Braylon Staley had 105 yards, including a 56-yarder.

Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Tennessee 7, Kentucky 0 (13:41): Tennessee struck first on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Joey Aguilar to Chris Brazzell II. The drive covered 75 yards in four plays and took 1:19 off the clock. Mike Matthews caught a 14-yard pass the game’s second play and Kentucky was called for a facemask, helping the Vols move into Wildcat territory.

Tennessee 14, Kentucky 0 (6:56): Tennessee’s defense got back in the end zone after safety Edrees Farooq tipped a pass at the line of scrimmage, caught the deflected football and ran 45 yards for the Pick 6. The score gave Tennessee’s defense five touchdowns on the season, the second most in college football.

Tennessee 14, Kentucky 7 (6:19): Kentucky got off the ropes 37 seconds later when Cutter Boley threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Law to get the Wildcats on the board. It was both a career-long touchdown pass for Boley and career-long touchdown reception for Law.

Tennessee 21, Kentucky 7 (1:49): After two straight three-and-outs, Tennessee’s offense went back down the field and got back in the end zone on a 1-yard run from Star Thomas. Brazzell went back to work on the second play of the drive, catching a 47-yard pass from Aguilar to spark the five-play, 72-yard scoring drive.

Second Quarter

Tennessee 28, Kentucky 7 (13:52): Jadon Perlotte recovered a Kentucky fumble at the Kentucky 6-yard line and the Vols scored four plays later, with DeSean Bishop scoring on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal.

Tennessee 28, Kentucky 14 (12:39): Kentucky got another answer on another big play, with DJ Miller catching a 56-yard touchdown from Boley to cut the Tennessee lead to 14. The drive went 75 yards in three plays and needed just 1:13 off the clock.

Tennessee 28, Kentucky 21 (1:37): What was once a 21-point Tennessee lead was down to seven after a 16-play, 96-yard marathon touchdown drive that took 8:36 off the clock. Boley threw a 3-yard touchdown to JJ Hester on second-and-goal. The Wildcats went 3-for-4 on third down on the drive and converted a fourth-and-1 at the Tennessee 19-yard line two plays before the touchdown.

Tennessee 35, Kentucky 21 (0:05): Tennessee needed an answer and the Vols got a big one with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, with Aguilar throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ethan Davis with just five seconds left in the second quarter, getting the lead back to 14.

Third Quarter

Tennessee 42, Kentucky 21 (10:40): Tennessee’s defense got off the field to start the second half and the offense got back into the end zone just 25 seconds after taking possession. Joey Aguilar threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews to get the lead back to 21, giving Aguilar 280 yards and three touchdowns on the night.

Tennessee 49, Kentucky 21 (10:40): Another drive, another Aguilar deep ball. Peyton Lewis scored the touchdown on a 2-yard run, but it was a 50-yard pass from Aguilar to Brazzell to set up the score.

Tennessee 49, Kentucky 27 (0:54): Kentucky closed the third quarter by stopping the bleeding with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Cutter Boley to DJ Miller to cap a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The Wildcats missed the two-point attempt with Boley getting sacked on the play.

Fourth Quarter

Tennessee 56, Kentucky 27 (13:35): Another chunk play, another touchdown. This time Aguilar threw a 56-yarder to Braylon Staley and DeSean Bishop scored on a 5-yard run three plays later. The pass to Staley gave Aguilar completions of 19, 24, 35, 47, 50, 56 and 62 on the night. He went 6-for-6 for 274 yards and two touchdowns on throws of 20 yards or more.

Tennessee 56, Kentucky 34 (8:12): JJ Hester scored on a 7-yard pass from Boley to get Kentucky back in the end zone, after an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that gave Boley 330 yards and five passing touchdowns on the night.