There's no room for error for Tennessee football moving forward. Following the loss to Alabama last weekend, the Vols are 6-2 on the year and the team has to be perfect moving forward in order to reach the College Football Playoff.
That's why this Saturday night's game against Kentucky is incredibly important for Josh Heupel and his players. Yes, Kentucky has struggled again in 2025, but no one can overlook the Wildcats. If Tennessee does that, it could pay big time for that.
Josh Heupel's reaction to Tennessee's tackling should be a Tim Banks wake-up call
That's why there's so much concern when it comes to standout linebacker Arion Carter. On Wednesday night, Carter popped up on the injury report and he was listed as questionable for the upcoming SEC showdown. Again on Thursday, he was also put down as questionable. Is he going to play for UT in this one?
Tennessee linebacker and leading tackler Arion Carter still questionable to play against Kentucky.
— Patrick Brown (@pbrown247) October 24, 2025
No changes on the SEC availability report on Thursday night.
➡️ https://t.co/VgCAaWjnRK #Vols
Arion Carter Injury Update: Star LB questionable vs. Kentucky
While it's unknown just how serious this injury is for the stud 'backer, the fact that he's dealing with something is not good at all for Heupel or defensive coordinator Tim Banks. Kentucky is going to want to establish the run game early and keep attacking the UT front seven.
The Vols defense has looked terrible this year, with things in the red zone being downright frustrating. Taking out one of its best players in the middle of the field would only make things worse. That's why there are countless Vols fans who are worried Carter may not be able to go.
Tennessee may be a two-score favorite against the Wildcats, but we've seen some pretty surprising upsets this season. Could the Vols be on 'upset watch' this weekend? We hope not, but everyone is going to have to be at their best to post a statement victory.
Leading up to kickoff, all eyes are going to be on Carter. If he can play and perform the way everyone has been used to seeing, then Tennessee likely won't have any issues coming out on top. If he does miss the game or he's limited due to his injury, then it could open the door for Kentucky to make things quite uncomfortable for Banks and Co. on the road.