We're not going to shy away in saying that things are a mess over in Lexington. Kentucky was able to revive its program under head coach Mark Stoops, but things have been going south for a little while. Things won't be made easier for Stoops with No. 7 Tennessee football next up on the schedule.
Come Saturday night, Stoops and Co. will be making their way to Neyland Stadium for a showdown under the bright lights in Knoxville. It's a contest the Vols are fired up for, especially since it's coming following their bye week.
On the SEC teleconference, Stoops brought up the fact that this is a night game. Similar to Lane Kiffin, he appeared to do some whining about how things have played out. Unlike Kiffin, though, Stoops hates the idea of playing at night, especially since it's on the road. We're still a few days away and the excuses are coming in? Come on, coach:
Mark Stoops opened coaches teleconference complaining to SEC about Kentucky playing another night game.
— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) October 30, 2024
"(Neyland Stadium is) a very hostile environment. I think that's our 4th straight 8 o'clock Eastern game. Thank you for that. That's a lot of fun," Stoops said sarcastically.
Mark Stoops is not happy about playing a night game at Neyland Stadium
We're not going to argue with Stoops bringing up the fact that Neyland is a hostile environment. Fans are already fired up following the 'Dark Mode' uniform announcement and we don't have to tell you that the stands are going to be packed for this one.
Tennessee has dominated the rivalry with Kentucky and more explosive play is surely going to be on the way from them. With Tennessee looking to keep pushing for a College Football Playoff spot, every single game matters moving forward.
The Vols and Josh Heupel know that any kind of a slip up will lead to them watching the CFP from the comfort of their own homes. Having said that, Tennessee is focused on the task at hand and they'll be fired up to beat Kentucky once again.
As for Stoops, he's too focused on the potential night crowd instead of focusing on trying to contain the Tennessee offense. It feels like it's going to be a long night for him and his players if their mindset isn't where it needs to be.