The No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers (6-1, 3-1 SEC) and Kentucky Wildcats (3-1, 1-5) meet on Rocky Top on Saturday night for a huge matchup in the Southeastern Conference. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
The Volunteers are coming off a bye after their 24-17 comeback win over Alabama. Meanwhile, the Wildcats have dropped 3 straight to fall to 3-5 overall and 1-5 in the SEC.
Tennessee comes into the game as a -17.5 favorite with the over/under at 45.5.
This feels like a game between teams going in opposite directions, so let's make some Kentucky vs Tennessee predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Nov. 2.
Kentucky vs Tennessee Odds
| Kentucky Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -110 | 45.5 -110 / -110 | +625 |
| Tennessee Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -110 | 45.5 -110 / -110 | -950 |
- Kentucky vs Tennessee Spread: Kentucky +17.5 (-110) · Tennessee -17.5 (-110)
- Kentucky vs Tennessee Over/Under: 45.5 Points
- Kentucky vs Tennessee Moneyline: Kentucky +625 · Tennessee -950
Kentucky vs Tennessee Picks and Predictions
Prediction
My Tennessee vs Kentucky best bet is on the Wildcats to stay under their team total, with the best line currently available at ESPN Bet, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Moneyline
PASS
Against the Spread
PASS
Over/Under
Kentucky vs Tennessee Pick: Kentucky Team Total Under 14.5
Kentucky Wildcats vs Tennessee Volunteers College Football Preview
Kentucky Wildcats Betting Preview: Can Wildcats Halt Losing Streak?
After the upset win in Oxford over then No. 6 Ole Miss, head coach Mark Stoops’ squad went into its bye with some momentum. However, things have since unraveled for the Wildcats.
It started by losing at home as a two-touchdown favorite to Vanderbilt before getting pounded by 28 at Florida. The loss to Auburn last week may have been the worst of the bunch, as the Tigers ran for 326 yards in a 24-10 win.
Despite the recent struggles, Kentucky’s defense still ranks highly in multiple categories. The Wildcats rank inside the top 25 in terms of fewest first downs allowed, red-zone defense and total defense.
One of the leaders of that unit is J.J. Weaver, who has 37.5 career tackles for loss, which ranks third in school history. His 21.5 career sacks also rank in the top five at Kentucky.
It won’t be easy with their end-of-season schedule, but the Wildcats can still make a bowl game.
Tennessee Volunteers Betting Preview: Vols Boast Multiple Advantages
The job Josh Heupel has done with this program has been sensational, and it helps that the Volunteers have a strong home crowd to lean on. Tennessee has won five in a row at Neyland Stadium and 17 of its past 18 at home.
To add to Saturday's excitement, Tennessee will don its “Dark Mode” uniforms, which are customary around Halloween.
𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚖𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚍 ⚫️#GBO
pic.twitter.com/IMsIILImUt— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 28, 2024
One thing that has been different about Heupel's offense this season is the strong rushing attack, which is spearheaded by Dylan Sampson. He's leading the SEC and third in the FBS with 17 rushing touchdowns on the year.
A good game on the ground has typically led to victories under Heupel. During his tenure, the Volunteers are 25-2 when rushing for 200 yards.
Now that Tennessee has a defense to complement its offense, this is Heupel's most complete team — and it has its sights set on the College Football Playoff.
Kentucky vs Tennessee Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Kentucky and Tennessee match up statistically:
Kentucky Offense vs. Tennessee Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 19 | 1 | |
| Line Yards | 74 | 3 | |
| Pass Success | 126 | 21 | |
| Havoc | 113 | 5 | |
| Finishing Drives | 106 | 2 | |
| Quality Drives | 72 | 1 | |
Tennessee Offense vs. Kentucky Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 77 | 87 | |
| Line Yards | 32 | 27 | |
| Pass Success | 19 | 72 | |
| Havoc | 44 | 27 | |
| Finishing Drives | 70 | 60 | |
| Quality Drives | 44 | 57 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 51 | 25 |
| PFF Coverage | 41 | 58 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 9 | 29 |
| Middle 8 | 51 | 4 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.8 (109) | 23.8 (11) |
| Rush Rate | 59% (35) | 62% (19) |
How To Make College Football Picks For My Kentucky vs Tennessee Prediction
It's really hard to predict which Kentucky team is going to show up, though poor offensive showings have been consistent under Stoops.
So, my best bet is for the Wildcats to fall under their team total of 14.5 at DraftKings, which I would play to -145. I also don’t hate a look at unders for Kentucky player props.
If there has been any success offensively for Kentucky, it has come on the ground. Kentucky ranks inside the top 25 in the FBS in Rush Rate and Rush Success Rate.
Unfortunately for the Cats, that plays right into the strength of Tennessee's defense. The Vols rank third in the country in Rush Success Rate allowed and 14th in Rush EPA per Play.
This unit is also in the top five among Power 4 programs in Stuff Rate, Line Yards and Power Success Rate allowed defensively.
Additionally, this has been a profitable bet in SEC play. Across six league games, the Wildcats have failed to reach this mark four times.
Another issue for the visitors is the fact that they have struggled to stop the run themselves. That could lead to the Volunteers going on long, sustained drives that keep the ball away from Kentucky.
For an offense that needs as many possessions as it can get, I just don’t see a path to success. So, give me Tennessee's defense to have another strong performance at home.
Pick: Kentucky Team Total Under 14.5 (-145 or better)
Kentucky vs Tennessee Game Info
| Location: | Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN |
| Date: | Saturday, Nov. 2 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | SEC Network |
Kentucky heads to Knoxville on Saturday to face Tennessee at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Tennessee vs Kentucky Betting Trends to Know
- 87% of bets and 86% of the money are on Kentucky to cover the spread
- 76% of bets and 50% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Tennessee vs Kentucky Weather
