Takeaways from Kentucky’s 28-18 loss to Tennessee

The Kentucky Wildcats head to Knoxville after three straight losses in an attempt to upset the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. It was wild, especially considering both teams had slow starts in the early races. This marked the Wildcats’ fourth straight game in which they did not score while inside the 5-yard line. Kentucky went into halftime with a 10-7 lead thanks to a field goal and touchdown run by tight end Josh Cattus, and just when they thought they were out of the game, Ja’Mauri McLean’s stunning touchdown brought them back into the game.

Vandagriff left the game in the 3rd quarter after taking a hard hit to a sack and did not return, apparently due to a concussion, although his exact status has not been confirmed. The Wildcats had the game right in the fourth quarter, but they went down in the final minutes, essentially sealing the deal after Tennessee scored a touchdown to increase its possession by 10 points from its previous one.

Here are some takeaways from the loss, which left the Wildcats with four straight losses.

The Wildcats may not have won, but they certainly showed fight. Many thought they wouldn’t be able to keep this one close, but Kentucky’s defense came out strong and their offense came into play immediately after they failed to score on their first drive. They held their own against the No. 7 team, but critical errors and a failure to score in the final minutes gave Tennessee the win. Kentucky failing to score and giving up a touchdown later in the final quarter really marked the turning point. It looks like mistakes of their own making came back to haunt them late in the game tonight.

With the loss, Kentucky improves to 3-6 overall on the season and 1-6 in SEC play. To qualify for the bowl, the Wildcats must have a winning percentage above .500, and that gets even tougher with three games left. To win all three, Kentucky would have to beat Murray State, in-state rival Louisville, and make a big upset at Texas, which currently sits outside the top five in the country. It will now be increasingly difficult for Kentucky to maintain a bowl streak as they have to win their last few games.

Kentucky suffered its fourth straight loss and now, barring a surprise upset on the road at Texas, will begin their final three games of the year. If the Wildcats want to play a Game 4, they’ll have to play the same game they did Saturday in Knoxville.