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No. 7 Tennessee opens as a two-touchdown home favorite against Kentucky

IMG_3593by:Grant Rameyabout 16 hours

GrantRamey

Kentucky football chrome helmets at Sanford Stadium, Dale Zanine, Imagn Images
Kentucky football chrome helmets at Sanford Stadium, Dale Zanine, Imagn Images

Tennessee Football has opened as a two-touchdown favorite over Kentucky for next week’s game at Neyland Stadium. The Vols are 14.5-point favorites against the Wildcat with the total set at 46.5, according to FanDuel.

Tennessee and Kentucky will start at either 7:30 or 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time next Saturday. The game will be televised by either ABC, ESPN or SEC Network. Final details for the start time and TV information should be released Saturday night.

No. 7 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1 SEC) is off this week, its second bye week of the season. Kentucky (3-4, 1-4), coming off the 48-20 loss at Florida last week, hosts Auburn on Saturday in a 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time start (TV: SEC Network) at Kroger Field in Lexington.

Tennessee is 5-2 against the spread this season

Since the 19-14 loss at Arkansas on October 5, the Vols have rebounded with a 23-17 overtime win against Florida at Neyland Stadium on October 12 and the 24-17 win over Alabama last week. 

Kentucky lost 20-13 at home against Vanderbilt two weeks ago, before the loss in Gainesville last week. The Wildcats beat then-No. 6 Ole Miss 20-17 in Oxford on September 28. 

Tennessee is 5-2 against the spread this season. The Vols covered against Chattanooga (-39.5), NC State (-8.5), Kent State (-49), at Oklahoma (-5.5) and at home against Alabama (+3.5). They failed to cover at Arkansas (-14) and against Florida (-14).

Kentucky is 4-3 against the spread, covering against Southern Miss (-25.5), Georgia (+22), Ohio (-21) and at Ole Miss (+15.5) while failing to cover against South Carolina (-9.5), Vanderbilt (-12.5) and Florida (-2.5).

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A Closer Look: Kentucky

Brock Vandagriff completed 12 of 26 passes for 165 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions Saturday night at Florida. UK ran for 146 yards on 35 attempts and had one rushing touchdown.

Florida took over with a 24-point second quarter, leading 27-13 at halftime with DJ Lagwayon his way to 259 yards passing. The Gators ran 44 times for 197 yards and had five rushing touchdowns. 

Kentucky beat Southern Miss 31-0 to start the season, lost 31-6 at home against South Carolina in Week 2, then took then-No. 1 Georgia to the brink in a 13-12 home loss on September 15.  

Vandagriff, a Georgia transfer, has completed 91 of 158 passes (.576) for 1,116 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions this season. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye leads UK on the ground with 92 carries for 419 yards and four touchdowns. Dane Key is the leading receiver, catching 35 passes for 500 yards and two touchdowns. 

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