Through two quarters in Knoxville, Kentucky leads Tennessee by a field goal, 10-7, on Dark Mode night at Neyland Stadium. The Vols outgained the Wildcats in the first half, but it is the visiting team leading at the break. Here are the big plays behind the halftime score:
Jamarion Wilcox’s 50-yard run didn’t lead to points
Kentucky landed the first punch of the night with a 50-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. Freshman Jamarion Wilcox ran straight up the middle on first down, setting Kentucky up at Tennessee’s 27-yard-line.
However, the Wildcats wouldn’t score on that first drive. Kentucky got the ball down to the five but couldn’t connect on a conversion attempt on 4th-and-2. Stoops rolled the dice, but the play was well-defended.
Kentucky struck first on its second drive
After holding Tennessee scoreless on a 10-play, 70-yard drive, Kentucky landed another big first-down punch when Brock Vandagriff connected with Hardley Gilmore IV for 25 yards into Tennessee territory. A highlight-reel grab by Dane Key for another 17 yards set up Vandagriff’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Josh Kattus, putting Kentucky on the board first.
Trading turnovers
Vandagriff threw an interception on Kentucky’s third series, following a shot to the face after the previous play that went uncalled. Tennessee took over at Kentucky’s 45, only to turn the ball back over to the Wildcats. Dylan Sampson ran twice for 23 yards but fumbled his second carry into the arms of Kentucky’s Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
Tennessee missed two field goals
Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert missed a 43-yard try on Tennessee’s scoreless first drive of the game, pulling it wide left of his mark in the first quarter. When set up for redemption in the second, Gilbert missed wide right from 40 to leave an egg on the board in Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee tied it up
After four scoreless drives, the Vols found the end zone with under five minutes left in the second quarter. Peyton Lewis punched in the one-yard run on third down to even the score at 7-7 in Knoxville.
Raynor put Kentucky back on top, 10-7
Kentucky responded to Tennessee’s game-tying touchdown with a 10-play, 61-yard drive, ending in three points via an Alex Raynor field goal. Kentucky’s drive took over four minutes off the clock, leaving Tennessee with only 30 seconds before halftime, where we are now with a 10-7 game.
Kentucky 10, Tennessee 7
