No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Tennessee Picks, Predictions & Preview

The key to Kentucky vs. Tennessee is very simple for me. It’s a defensive preparation week for the Volunteers.

How well can Tennessee prepare for this monstrosity that is the Kentucky offense?

I think they’re my favorite team in the SEC to study offensively, with all the different things they do.

And on the other side of the football, is Kentucky’s defense ready for the onslaught of punches it’s about to get from Tennessee?

Can Tennessee Prepare for Kentucky’s Offense?

Kentucky’s offense is nuts.

They make you play palms-up defense.

What the hell’s going on? What are we in, coach? What’s the call? What’s the call?

Bam. Smacked in the face.

That’s what makes this such a difficult offense to prepare for. If Tennessee gets caught off guard by something it hasn’t scouted or prepared for, Kentucky can take advantage.

And that’s one of the big questions in this game. Can Tennessee handle all those different looks without getting caught out of position?

Tennessee’s Run Game vs. Kentucky’s Defense

When you go in there and play Tennessee defensively, you’d better be ready for a heavyweight fight.

These guys run the ball. It’s what they do.

For Kentucky, the question is whether its defense can stand up to that kind of pressure.

Does the offense catch Tennessee unprepared with something it hasn’t seen, or does Kentucky’s defense buckle under the pressure of the Volunteers’ running game?

That’s the battle I’m watching.

Xavier Gilliam and Neyland Stadium Are My X-Factors

My first X-factor is Xavier Gilliam.

This dude’s a nightmare to play any day of the week. He’s a real nightmare to play in that stadium.

And that brings me to another factor: Tennessee’s home field advantage.

If I told you I think it’s worth seven points, would you tell me I’m stupid?

I think it’s worth a touchdown or more. That’s how hard of a place I think it is to play.

You’ve got Gilliam’s get-off and that crowd noise, and Kentucky has so much eye candy and eyewash offensively.

All that pre-snap motion and pre-snap confusion is hard enough to execute under normal circumstances.

Doing it on the road without committing false starts is really, really difficult.

That’s why Gilliam and the environment at Neyland Stadium are my X-factors.

Kentucky vs. Tennessee Prediction

It’s a tough place to play, and it’s a massive test for Kentucky.

Especially in your first year as a head coach, with all the other circumstances going on there.

I’ve got Tennessee beating Kentucky 20-17.