ESPN picks the winner between Kentucky and #17 Tennessee

The season has not gone well for the Kentucky Wildcats on the gridiron so far, but Mark Stoops and his team are about to welcome in rival Tennessee. The Wildcats have not fared well against the Volunteers on the football field in a very long time, but hopefully, one more loud Kroger Field crowd will give Kentucky a chance.

The Vols got blown out in Tuscaloosa last week, but a few weeks ago, they played the Georgia Bulldogs very close. The quarterback for Tennessee, Joey Aguilar, has been solid for the Vols, running this offense at a high level.

Right now, the stats have Tennessee as the best offense in the SEC, but they have the worst defense. Cutter Boley has started to heat up for the Wildcats, and he will look to expose this Tennessee defense.

Last week against the Texas Longhorns, Boley did well, throwing for 258 yards and rushing for 45. It is obvious watching Boley play that a bright future is ahead, and now, going against the porous defense that the Vols have, he could put up some big numbers.

Sep 27, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Right now, even at home, ESPN does not like Kentucky's chances of pulling off the upset over Tennessee. ESPN only gives Kentucky a 25% chance to win this game, and the money line for the Wildcats currently sits at +250.

Every year, Coach Stoops seems to win a game he isn't supposed to, so perhaps this could be that game. Big Blue Nation is tired of being dominated by Tennessee on the football field, and a home game on a brisk October night would be the perfect time to end the losing streak.

Kentucky will need to create some big plays if they want to have a shot at winning this game, especially knowing how good the Tennessee offense is. It will be hard to make this one ugly, as Kentucky likes to do so Stoops's team will have to put points up on the board.

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley (8) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

There have been some rumors floating around that the athletic department would be willing to move on from Stoops, so if he wants to keep his job, this is a football game at home that the Wildcats need to find a way to win.

Big Blue Nation seems to have zero confidence in this game, so the team needs to go out there and show some heart if they want to win the fan base back for the rest of the season, with basketball starting this evening.