Kentucky-Tennessee football: TV channel, time, live stream, odds, picks (Oct. 28, 2017)
Kentucky football hosts Tennessee in a key Week 9 SEC college football game on Saturday.
The Wildcats (5-2, 2-2 SEC) and the Volunteers (3-4, 0-4) both were on the losing ends of 45-7 games a week ago. Kentucky looks to avoid a repeat of the 2014 season, in which it started 5-1 but lost its final six games.
Below is all the information fans need to know to watch the Kentucky-Tennessee football game on Saturday.
Kentucky-Tennessee football TV channel, time, live stream
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Date: October 28, 2017
Location: Kroger Field; Lexington, Ky.
TV Channel: SEC Network | Find SEC Network on your cable provider
Live stream: WatchESPN | via the WatchESPN app
Radio: UK Sports Network | Find your local affiliate here
Satellite radio: Channel 191 (XM) | Channel 119 (Sirius)
Internet radio/Live stats: UKathletics.com
Kentucky-Tennessee football picks, odds
Kentucky football is currently a 4-point favorite over Tennessee for the Week 9 SEC college football game. The Wildcats recently lost to Mississippi State, 45-7, and Tennessee is coming off a 45-7 loss against Alabama. The point total for the game is currently 46.
Kentucky-Tennessee spread, game prediction
Kentucky (-4) vs. Tennessee
Joe Mussatto: Kentucky has beaten Tennessee just once since 1984, but when have the Vols been this bad? A win against Tennessee, no matter how bad the Vols are, will get Kentucky back on track after an embarrassing loss at Mississippi State. Kentucky 30, Tennessee 24.
Kyle Tucker: If ever the Wildcats were set up to record just their second win against the Vols since 1984, this is it. Butch Jones is on the hot seat, Tennessee is terrible and Kentucky absolutely has to seize this opportunity. Kentucky 24, Tennessee 17.
Kentucky-Tennessee over/unders
Kentucky team rushing yards: 200.5
Joe Mussatto: Under. Kentucky has quite a bit to figure out before it rushes for 200 yards again. And it’s not just figuring things out. The Wildcats don’t have the same personnel that spurred them to one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC a year ago. Kentucky averaged 234 rushing yards per game last year. This year? Just 135. But, if anything could get the ground game of old up and running, it’d be Tennessee’s defense. The Vols are second-to-last in the SEC, giving up 247 rushing yards per game. Benny Snell should have a good game, but it’s hard to envision Kentucky racking up 200 yards on the ground.
Kyle Tucker: Under. Kentucky can’t seem to get the running game going, only eclipsing 200 yards once this season (against Eastern Kentucky). Three of the last four weeks, the team has rushed for 120 yards or fewer. Yes, I realize the Volunteers rank 123rd nationally in run defense, but that’s skewed a bit by the 535 yards they gave up to Georgia Tech’s option offense in Week 1. Georgia and Alabama ran all over Tennessee, too, but Florida and South Carolina failed to hit 200.
Tennessee team rushing yards: 175.5
Joe Mussatto: Under. Just when things can’t get worse for the Volunteers, star running back John Kelly was cited Tuesday night after police said marijuana was found in his car. He has been suspended for this game, which is a huge boost to Kentucky. He’s one of the best backs in the conference and one of Tennessee’s only offensive bright spots. The Kentucky run defense was gashed and exposed at Mississippi State, but the Volunteers don’t pose the same threat as the Bulldogs did, especially with Kelly out.
Kyle Tucker: (Way) under. The Volunteers have rushed for more than 160 yards only once this season, and now they’ll be without leading rusher John Kelly, who was suspended after a marijuana-related citation.
Total points scored: 46
Joe Mussatto: Over. Pitting the 11th-ranked scoring offense in the SEC (Kentucky) against the last-ranked scoring offense (Tennessee) doesn’t exactly point toward a lot of points. But even if you combine the two teams’ lowly points per game average, you get to 45. Neither offense is explosive, but neither defense is close to dominant. Kentucky has scored more than 24 points one time this year. Tennessee hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown in more than a month. So I’ll inexplicably pick against that info and say that both offenses at least figure a few things out.
Kyle Tucker: Under. Tennesseee hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown in a month and has combined to score 16 points the last three games. Kentucky has scored 30-plus only once all season and was held to just 7 points in Starkville, Miss., last week.