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Tennessee Vols Face Kentucky Wildcats In Most Important Game Of Season

By Randy Sharber

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The Tennessee Vols face the Kentucky Wildcats in the most important game of the season for both teams. Tennessee and Kentucky are trying to get to 6 wins to become bowl eligible. Tennessee must win two out of the three games remaining against Kentucky, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. Kentucky has to win one of the two they have remaining against Tennesse and in state foe Louisville. Today will be huge.

Kentucky limps in to Neyland after starting 5-1 and gaining top 25 ranking. They were the talk of the town. Then they started playing good football teams. That has resulted in four straight losses. The most devastating was a whooping from Georgia last weekend. Georgia put up over 60 points and 600 yards of total offense. The Vols look to do the same today.

The Vols are coming off of a bye in which they have used well to heal up for this crucial stretch November run. Tennessee pulled off a miracle comeback against Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks by scoring two late touchdowns to send the game into overtime. The Vols won in overtime to gain its’ first SEC win of the year.

Kentucky is tired. They have played 8 straight. Tennessee is rested after the bye. The Vols should be ready, but there are always concerns with a very young team. This is a team of firsts. Most of these guys are freshman. They have played in their first College Game. Many got on a plane for the first time to travel. They have played in their first SEC game. Now they are coming off of their first bye week. How will they respond? Can they regain that swagger they seemed to have at South Carolina, or do they come out flat and look like a team that hasn’t played in 2 weeks? This remains to be seen.

I think they will come out fired up. There is too much at stake. Tennessee has owned Kentucky over the past 30 years. Tennessee used to own November in the SEC. As a matter of fact the calendar used to read…. September, October, Tennessee, December, January…  Tennessee must get back to winning November in order to get back on top of the SEC East. Today will be a start if they can put away the Wildcats.

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    • This game is most important in getting bowl eligible first and foremost. If the Vols win today they have two winnable games left, but will only be favored in the Vanderbilt game. Vandy will be dangerous in Nashville although they have struggled all season. I believe the Missouri game will be close as both teams sport about equal talent. If Tennessee wins this one today, I honestly believe they will run the table as long as Josh Dobbs stays healthy. Momentum is building, but this game today is paramount.

    The game is also important in teaching this young team how to handle success. The Vols were close to disaster at South Carolina. They went from what looked like an inevitable loss to an inferior team to being celebrated in the class room, on Sports Center and the talk of the SEC for a week. Do they rest their laurels on winning that one game? Now they need to focus and do it again. Consistency is what Coach Jones wants. It is what we all want as Tennessee fans.

    Quarterback Josh Dobbs should be able to make things happen at Kentucky. I think it will be Tennessee’s passing game that will open up the run game early today. Kentucky has given up 300 yards on 3 occasions this season. They will load up to stop Dobbs and Freshman sensation Jalen Hurd. Look for the receivers to get involved early off of play action fakes. Von Pearson is healthy and it is time he makes a spectacular play. Pig Howard is coming off of a great game. Josh Malone is gaining confidence each week and looks like a five star receiver coming in to his own. Marquez North’s back is healing and Jason Croom has looked much better catching the ball as of late. Croom had a touchdown catch at Kentucky last year.

    When typing this last paragraph I realize just how hard it is to defend Tennessee IF they have a quarterback that can run the zone read. Josh Dobbs is that guy. He must put Tennessee in position to win today. Tennessee is in a “must’ win situation today. I think they will.  Vols win 38-24.

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