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Tennessee football vs. Kentucky: Keys to the game for Vols and Wildcats

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images
Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

10. Which team has less confidence going in?

We mentioned this in our introduction, but it’s worth noting that neither team has a lot of confidence right now. Tennessee football barely squeaked by a Group of Five team with a losing record, only beating the Charlotte 49ers 14-3.

Before that, they had lost two straight games, including a horrendous fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Add in the fact that they lost to the Kentucky Wildcats last year and that they’ve lost 13 of 14 to SEC and Power Five teams, and it’s pretty clear that they have no reason to feel good about playing a Top 25 SEC team.

However, there are other factors affecting the Wildcats’ confidence as well. And it’s not just losing to the Georgia Bulldogs last week. Before that, it was pretty clear that they were getting lucky in a lot of games. They know it took a bad call for them to beat the Missouri Tigers, which is why they should be 6-3 right now instead of 7-2.

Then there are the factors with this game. Even if they did win last year, Kentucky has to believe in the back of its mind that it isn’t supposed to beat the Vols. After all, UT won 26 straight against this team at one point, and as we mentioned, they haven’t lost at home to them since 1984 and haven’t lost two straight since 1976 and 1977. So both teams have reasons not to be confident about this game. And that’s not the only psychological disadvantages they may have.

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