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Game notes: Kentucky at Tennessee

Saturday, November 7, kickoff time not yet set, Neyland Stadium.The game page.

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Kentucky

6–⁠1, 4–⁠1 conference · Will Stein

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Tennessee

6–⁠1, 3–⁠1 conference · Josh Heupel

28 notes · built Oct 19, 3:33 PM ET

The matchup

  • Kentucky (6–⁠1, 4–⁠1 in conference) at Tennessee (6–⁠1, 3–⁠1 in conference), Saturday, November 7, kickoff time not yet set, Neyland Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).

The series

  • It will be their 122nd meeting; Tennessee leads the series 84–⁠25–⁠9 in the games on file. Officially, Tennessee leads 85–⁠26–⁠9; as played, 84–⁠25–⁠9. The NCAA vacated Tennessee’s win (2019); it doesn’t count officially.results, WikipediaEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
  • Last meeting: Saturday, October 25, 2025: Tennessee 56, Kentucky 34.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
  • The first meeting on file is from 1906: Kentucky 21, Tennessee 0 (the rivalry’s article dates the series to 1893).results, WikipediaThe earliest meeting on file.
  • Tennessee is 43–⁠10–⁠6 at home against Kentucky.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
  • Last five meetings: 2025: Tennessee 56–⁠34 (at Kentucky); 2024: Tennessee 28–⁠18 (at Tennessee); 2023: Tennessee 33–⁠27 (at Kentucky); 2022: Tennessee 44–⁠6 (at Tennessee); 2021: Tennessee 45–⁠42 (at Kentucky).resultsThe last five meetings on file.

Kentucky

  • Kentucky is 6–⁠1 (4–⁠1 in conference games), 2–⁠1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
  • This season: W 45–⁠13 vs. Youngstown State; L 17–⁠45 vs. No. 12 Alabama; W 31–⁠21 at No. 9 Texas A&M; W 45–⁠21 vs. South Alabama; W 35–⁠34 at South Carolina; W 35–⁠34 vs. No. 10 LSU; W 21–⁠13 at Oklahoma.resultsThis season’s finished games.
  • Kentucky has won five straight, since losing 45–⁠17 to Alabama (Sept. 12, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
  • Kentucky is No. 31 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
  • Will Stein is 6–⁠1 in his first season at Kentucky.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
  • Will Stein faces Tennessee as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
  • Kenny Minchey (QB): 1,552 passing yards, 13 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • C.J. Baxter Jr. (RB): 484 rushing yards, 8 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • Grant Godfrey (LB): 67 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, No. 8 in FBS in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • On this date in 1942, Kentucky lost to No. 3 Georgia Tech 47–⁠7.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.

Tennessee

  • Tennessee is 6–⁠1 (3–⁠1 in conference games), 1–⁠1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
  • This season: W 56–⁠9 vs. Furman; W 45–⁠24 at Georgia Tech; W 42–⁠9 vs. Kennesaw State; L 17–⁠20 vs. No. 1 Texas; W 24–⁠14 vs. Auburn; W 24–⁠17 at Arkansas; W 26–⁠10 vs. No. 6 Alabama.resultsThis season’s finished games.
  • Tennessee has won three straight, since losing 20–⁠17 to Texas (Sept. 26, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
  • Tennessee is No. 14 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
  • Josh Heupel is 51–⁠21 in his sixth season at Tennessee and 79–⁠29 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
  • Josh Heupel is 5–⁠0 against Kentucky.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
  • DeSean Bishop (RB): 837 rushing yards, 10 TD, No. 3 in FBS in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • Mike Matthews (WR): 29 catches, 481 yards, 3 TD, the team leader in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • Amare Campbell (LB): 46 tackles, 2 sacks, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
  • DeSean Bishop needs 24 yards to pass Montario Hardesty (2,391, 2005–⁠09) for 10th on Tennessee’s career rushing yards list. He has 2,368 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
  • On this date in 1964, Tennessee beat No. 7 Georgia Tech 22–⁠14.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.

The coaches

  • It is the first meeting of Will Stein and Josh Heupel as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.

Sources

Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:

No picks and no odds. Found something wrong? Tell us with how you know.