Kentucky and Tennessee both got encouraging news on the injury front ahead of Saturday’s matchup in Knoxville.
For Kentucky, the biggest name to watch was running back CJ Baxter, and he’s cleared the first hurdle. Baxter, who has been in and out of the lineup in recent weeks because of various injuries, is not listed on the injury report, which points to him being ready to go. Wide receiver Nic Anderson, who also sat out the Vanderbilt game, is likewise off the report and should be available.
There’s also optimism around edge rusher Sam Greene. He missed the Vanderbilt game, but Kentucky lists him as probable, giving him a strong chance to suit up Saturday.
The one notable question mark for the Wildcats is cornerback Isaiah McMillian, who left the Vanderbilt game with an injury and is now listed as questionable.
Kentucky will, however, be without several players. Linebacker Antwan Smith, cornerback Jaden Smith, linebacker Justyn Hartley, and cornerback Grant Grayton have all been ruled out.
Tennessee’s key update centers on DeSean Bishop, one of the best running backs in America and a major piece of the offense. Bishop was banged up in the loss to South Carolina, but he is expected to play. He is not on the injury report and is good to go Saturday.
The Vols are still missing a cluster of players who are out for the season: tight end Ethan Davis, left guard Wendell Moe, safety Edrees Farooq, safety Dylan Lewis, wide receiver/kick returner Joakim Dodson, linebacker Jaedon Harmon, and cornerback Jadais Richard.
Beyond that, Tennessee has no new injuries to report.
In Other News...
Will Stein Just Framed Kentuckys Biggest Challenge At Tennessee
Will Stein spent part of the buildup to Kentuckys trip to Tennessee talking through the kind of game the Wildcats need to play in November, and the message was pretty clear: the trenches will decide a lot of it. In a radio interview, the Kentucky coach pointed to practice habits and the basics that tend to travel well, stressing line-of-scrimmage play, a commitment to running the football and the need for defensive ball control if the Wildcats want to handle a tough road test.
Stein also put the matchup in a broader rivalry context, naming Louisville, Tennessee and Duke as Kentuckys main football rivals. For a program trying to find its footing in a hostile environment, that kind of framing matters, because it turns Saturday into more than just another SEC game and puts even more weight on how Kentucky handles the physical side of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Has A Chance To End One Painful Tennessee Trend
Kentuckys rise under first-year coach Will Stein has given this late stretch of the season a different feel, and the Wildcats now sit at their highest College Football Playoff Selection Committee ranking at No. 6. That alone would make this week notable, but the matchup ahead carries a little extra weight because it comes with a long, frustrating history attached to it.
Kentucky has spent decades trying to get past strong Tennessee teams, and the last time it beat a Volunteers squad with a winning record was back in 1984. This years Tennessee team is ranked No. 13, which gives the Wildcats a real chance to change an old pattern while also dealing a blow to the Vols final standing if they can finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Gets A Huge Opening In Its Biggest Tennessee Game Yet
Kentuckys biggest Tennessee matchup in years is arriving with both teams carrying real momentum, which only adds to the stakes in a rivalry game that already has plenty of edge. Tennessee has built its early success around a pounding rushing attack and a defense that has been tough to crack, while Kentucky knows it will have to find answers against one of the nations best pass defenses if it wants to keep the game on its terms.
The opening the Wildcats could exploit comes from an uncertainty under center for Tennessee, where the quarterback situation is still unsettled because of injury. Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre have both seen the field this season, and the Volunteers plan at the most important position remains something Kentucky will be watching closely as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]