

The read
On rating alone Tennessee Volunteers are 9.0 points better (#19 vs #58 of 240), and TENN add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: TENN passing ranks #19, UK defends it at #98; the other way UK #100 into TENN's #59.
Who has the edge
The margin, factor by factor
Bars are in points toward the favored side. Blue factors are inside the model's margin; grey ones are context it does not add on top (form and offense/defense are already in the ratings; injuries beyond the quarterback are not priced).
Dissect the matchup
CollegeFootballData, garbage time excluded · 2025 season (last season until three games are in)Biggest mismatches
- ▸TENN defense (#14 rush explosiveness allowed) against a UK offense ranked #124
- ▸TENN pass success rate (#9) against a UK defense ranked #113 at stopping it
- ▸TENN yards / pass attempt (#13) against a UK defense ranked #116 at stopping it
- ▸TENN defense (#19 havoc rate) against a UK offense ranked #109
- ▸TENN points / scoring opportunity (#9) against a UK defense ranked #99 at stopping it
A mismatch is a rank gap of at least a fifth of the league between an offense and the defense it faces on the same measure. Descriptive rows (pass rate, pace, direction) are shown for reading the game, not ranked. ▲▼ mark where the last three games sit clearly above or below the season number, in the direction that helps that side.
Kentucky Wildcats offense vs Tennessee Volunteers defense
ranks of 135| UK off | TENN def | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | |||
| Pass rate / Pass rate faced | 47% | 49% | · |
| Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains). | 69% | 69% | · |
| Plays / game | 58 | 61 | · |
| Possession / game | 30:38 | 32:38 | · |
| Passing | |||
| Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD). | +0.19#100 | +0.22#59 | TENN |
| Pass success rate | 40%#94 | 41%#67 | TENN |
| Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are. | 1.56#59 | 1.53#53 | · |
| Yards / pass attempt | 6.6#98 | 7.2#70 | TENN |
| Completion % | 62%#64 | 66%#118 | UK |
| Interception rate / Interceptions forced | 3.3%#95 | 2.3%#79 | · |
| Rushing | |||
| Rushing PPA / play | +0.06#97 | +0.12#78 | · |
| Rush success rate | 45%#53 | 48%#122 | UK |
| Rush explosiveness | 0.82#124 | 0.85#14 | TENN |
| Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed. | 3.05#51 | 2.89#71 | · |
| Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line. | 18%#50 | 20%#47 | · |
| Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2. | 70%#84 | 82%#125 | UK |
| Yards / rush | 3.9#99 | 4.1#56 | TENN |
| Situational | |||
| Standard-down PPA | +0.10#71 | +0.12#84 | · |
| Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+). | +0.02#133 | +0.26#59 | TENN |
| Third-down conversion | 40%#63 | 41%#89 | · |
| Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40. | 3.84#56 | 4.09#109 | UK |
| Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play. | 17.7%#109 | 18.4%#19 | TENN |
| Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game | 1.83#126 | 1.54#37 | TENN |
Tennessee Volunteers offense vs Kentucky Wildcats defense
ranks of 135| TENN off | UK def | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | |||
| Pass rate / Pass rate faced | 48% | 46% | · |
| Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains). | 74% | 70% | · |
| Plays / game | 65 | 60 | · |
| Possession / game | 27:22 | 29:22 | · |
| Passing | |||
| Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD). | +0.41#19 | +0.31#98 | TENN |
| Pass success rate | 50%#9 | 45%#113 | TENN |
| Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are. | 1.57#56 | 1.55#63 | · |
| Yards / pass attempt | 8.7#13 | 8.0#116 | TENN |
| Completion % | 67%#19 | 62%#67 | TENN |
| Interception rate / Interceptions forced | 2.3%#64 | 3.9%#11 | UK |
| Rushing | |||
| Rushing PPA / play | +0.26#9 | +0.09#62 | TENN |
| Rush success rate | 52%#3 | 44%#84 | TENN |
| Rush explosiveness | 0.96#72 | 0.90#40 | UK |
| Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed. | 3.10#40 | 2.89#69 | TENN |
| Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line. | 14%#11 | 20%#53 | TENN |
| Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2. | 85%#2 | 68%#44 | TENN |
| Yards / rush | 4.7#44 | 3.7#32 | · |
| Situational | |||
| Standard-down PPA | +0.28#3 | +0.13#90 | TENN |
| Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+). | +0.47#16 | +0.31#76 | TENN |
| Third-down conversion | 50%#10 | 40%#73 | TENN |
| Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40. | 4.69#9 | 3.98#99 | TENN |
| Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play. | 12.4%#19 | 14.7%#92 | TENN |
| Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game | 1.15#55 | 1.17#80 | · |
Season
| UK | TENN | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-0 | Record | 1-0 |
| 45.0 | Points for / game | 56.0 |
| 13.0 | Points against / game | 9.0 |
| 1-0 / 0-0 | Home / road | 1-0 / 0-0 |
| 1-0 | Against the spread | 0-1 |
| 0-1 | Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean. | 0-1 |
| W | Last 5 | W |
Power ratings
| UK | TENN | |
|---|---|---|
| 1570 | Elo | 1731 |
| #58 of 240 | Rank | #19 of 240 |
| +2.2 | Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted. | +11.9 |
| +6.2 | Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good. | +6.3 |
| 1425 | Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season. | 1452 |
Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.
Advanced
| UK | TENN | |
|---|---|---|
| +5.2 | SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average. | +17.3 |
| 0.076 | Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD). | 0.332 |
| 0.184 | Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better. | 0.164 |
| 42% / 44% | Success rate (off / def) | 51% / 44% |
| 1.15 / 1.23 | Explosiveness (off / def) | 1.27 / 1.16 |
| 787 | Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster. | 886 |
| 19% | Returning production | 35% |
Advanced stats are from 2025 until this season has about three games. Source: CollegeFootballData.
Head to head
| 2025 | TENN 56 at UK 34 | TENN · TENN covered |
| 2024 | UK 18 at TENN 28 | TENN · UK covered |
| 2023 | TENN 33 at UK 27 | TENN · TENN covered |
How the margin was built
- Rating gap
- TENN +9.0 pts
- Home field
- TENN +— pts
- Rest
- Even
- Weather / roof
- — pts on the total
- Model margin
- —
- Model total
- —
Market
- Spread
- —
- Total
- —
- Moneyline
- —
Per-book prices appear once the multi-book feed has this game (about a week out).
Informational only. Winner probabilities are backtested and calibrated; spread and total calls are tracked leans. 21+, 1-800-GAMBLER.