Tennessee football score vs Kentucky: Live updates in Neyland Stadium - Knoxville News Sentinel

No. 3 Tennessee football will play its fifth ranked opponent this season in a clash with No. 17 Kentucky at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols (7-0, 3-0 SEC) will wear all-black uniforms and lean on the highest-scoring offense (50.1 ppg) in college football in hopes of getting past the Wildcats (5-2, 2-2). The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

It could be a shootout. Last season, UT's Hendon Hooker and UK's Will Levis combined for almost 800 yards of total offense and nine TDs in the Vols' 45-42 win. The same quarterbacks will face off again.

A big opportunity lies beyond this game if Tennessee can win. The Vols will play No. 1 Georgia on Nov. 5, which could carry SEC East title and College Football Playoff implications.

Tennessee football score vs Kentucky: Live updates

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Fourth quarter

FINAL: Tennessee 44, Kentucky 6.

Georgia next. What a performance tonight.

14:38 left: Tennessee's defense has limited UK to 1-of-10 on third down. Vols defense best performance of the Josh Heupel era.

Vols have been overwhelming the Kentucky OL, and Will Levis has never looked comfortable.

Will it be the CFP No. 1 Tennessee Vols on Tuesday?

Third quarter

End of the third quarter: Tennessee leads 37-6.

4:04 left: Touchdown Tennessee! Hendon Hooker 8-yard touchdown run.

Vols are headed for 8-0 and a HUGE matchup against Georgia.

Vols 37, Kentucky 6.

5:28 left: Will Levis underthrows a deep ball and is picked. INT No. 3 for the Vols, this one by Doneiko Slaughter.

Levis has been pretty bad, with three interceptions and just 72 passing yards.

5:50 left: Chase McGrath's 37-yard field goal is no good. Off the left upright. Kicking game the only shaky part of the Vols' performance so far.

7:19 left: Brandon Turnage intercepts Will Levis on a third down play.

Kentucky's offense had some luck earlier in the game with play action, but that's not been a thing over the last few possessions. Vols defense have eaten Levis and the UK offense alive with the short passes.

9:32 left: A little conservative, with the Vols going three straight runs and settling for a field goal inside the red zone.

Chase McGrath's 29-yard field goal is good.

Tennessee 30, Kentucky 6.

10:54 left: Vols in the red zone.

13:35 left: Tyler Baron and Byron Young sack. Kentucky three-and-out.

Vols defense has been very good tonight.

14:25 left: Da'Jon Terry sack.

Second quarter

Tennessee rolling Kentucky at the half

HALFTIME: Tennessee 27, Kentucky 6.

Jalin Hyatt with three catches for 91 yards, two touchdowns and a program record.

NEW UT RECORD: Jalin Hyatt breaks Tennessee football record for touchdown catches

22 seconds left: Touchdown Tennessee! Hey, it's Jalin Hyatt again, wide open down the sideline. Kentucky's defense left him alone again.

PAT good. Tennessee 27, Kentucky 6.

This is what Tennessee vs. Kentucky is supposed to look like, y'all.

37 seconds left: Kentucky's punt is partially blocked. Vols get the ball at the UK 35.

57 seconds left: Tamarion McDonald nearly had a pick-6. Will Levis not comfortable tonight.

2:49 left: A missed opportunity. Hendon Hooker is sacked on first down, and throws short of an open receiver on third down. Tennessee punts in UK territory.

Good work by Paxton Brooks to punt the ball inside the Kentucky 3-yard line. Going to be a difficult task for the Wildcats to score, but they also get the ball to start the second half.

Tennessee INT wipes away Kentucky scoring chance

4:32 left: Interception! Kentucky's Dane Key can't corral a third down pass due to a Doneiko Slaughter hit, and Juwan Mitchell picks it off. Mitchell returned it into Kentucky territory before Will Levis made the tackle.

Kentucky's offense, mistake-prone all year, coughs another one up. Tennessee's defense stands tall.

Vols can make this a three-score game before halftime.

9:18 left: Kentucky using the backs and tight ends in the passing game. Wildcats inside the UT 30.

Vols working on the ground to go up two scores

11:12 left: It's a different look for the Tennessee offense tonight, with runs and the short passing game. It's still working.

Jaylen Wright with a short TD run. PAT good.

Tennessee 20, Kentucky 6.

13:40 left: Jaylen Wright with a big run into Kentucky territory. Vols showing off the running game.

13:55 left: UK three-and-out, punctuated by a Tayvion Robinson drop on third down. Would have been a gain of 20-plus.

Vols with the ball and a chance to grow the lead.

Another game, another Princeton Fant TD

14:57 left: Princeton Fant is a touchdown machine, with a 2-yard touchdown run lined up as the tailback in the shotgun.

Vols have a holding on the PAT, and the re-try is no good. Wide right.

Tennessee 13, Kentucky 6.

First quarter

End of the first quarter: Vols will have 3rd and goal from the Kentucky 2 to start the second.

Vols not getting big chunks on the ground, but getting enough. Two 4th and 1 conversions via the ground. 68 yards on 15 carries in the first quarter.

2:38 left: Kentucky DPI. Vols offense driving.

4:44 left: Chris Rodriguez was good on that drive, and he finished it by running through an arm tackle for a 4-yard touchdown.

Extra point blocked. Matt Ruffolo has had major issues in the kicking game this year, and it took him a while to get the kick off.

Tennessee 7, Kentucky 6.

7:46 left: Will Levis has a pair of first down throws, and Kentucky is in UT territory.

9:50 left: Tennessee will punt after a three-and-out. Three Vols penalties on that drive, including a holding penalty and a questionable OPI.

11:46 left: Kentucky three-and-out. Tennessee is ready to play tonight all around.

Jalin Hyatt 55-yard TD puts Vols up early

13:35 left: Jalin Hyatt is wiiiiide open. Touchdown Tennessee.

Similar to last year in Lexington, a quick strike for the Vols offense. 55 yard TD for Hyatt, who ties the school single-season record.

15:00 left: Kentucky wins the toss and defers. Hendon Hooker, you're up.

Pregame

It's spooky season in Neyland Stadium tonight, with No. 3 Tennessee hosting No. 17 Kentucky.

Ohio State put Penn State away in the fourth quarter, so it's unlikely (though not impossible) that next week's showdown at Georgia will be No. 1 vs. No. 2, even with a Vols win tonight.

That's the key, though, for the team in black and orange tonight. Cedric Tillman and Jaylen McCullough are both reportedly available. Should be a fun atmosphere in about 75 minutes time. Kickoff after 7 p.m.

Vol Walk before Kentucky game

Tennessee Vol Walk before the start of the Kentucky football game on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

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