The eighth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (7-1) travel to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers (6-2) at Neyland Stadium in a Week 9 SEC matchup that could shape the College Football Playoff picture. Tennessee has dominated the rivalry recently, winning 17 of the last 20 meetings, but Kentucky arrives as a top-10 team with a strong defense.
Four Bold Predictions
1. Kentucky's running backs held under 100 combined yards. Volunteers defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam has recorded 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks this season. His interior pressure is expected to disrupt Kentucky's 57th-ranked rushing offense (161.6 yards per game) and limit backs Jason Patterson, CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes to fewer than 100 total rushing yards.
2. Quarterback George MacIntyre sacked twice and turns the ball over. MacIntyre, likely starting for Tennessee, has thrown three interceptions in his last two starts against Arkansas and Alabama and averaged just 6.1 yards per attempt. Facing a Kentucky defense with an 8.94% sack rate over its last three games and 2.4 takeaways per game (third nationally), MacIntyre is predicted to take multiple sacks and lose a fumble or throw an interception.
3. DeSean Bishop gains 90-plus yards but averages under 4.0 yards per carry. Tennessee runs on 60.5% of its offensive plays. Kentucky allows 121 rushing yards per game (31st nationally) and 3.7 yards per carry (39th). While Bishop should see a heavy workload, the Wildcats have held opposing running backs under 4.0 yards per carry in two games this season (Texas and South Carolina), and MacIntyre's lack of mobility makes Bishop the sole focus.
4. True freshman Faizon Brandon enters in the second half and sparks a Tennessee victory. With the Volunteers' offense inconsistent and MacIntyre struggling, coach Josh Heupel is expected to turn to Brandon, a 6-foot-4 freshman whose athleticism could provide a new dimension. The prediction sees Brandon leading Tennessee to a win and igniting a quarterback controversy.
