ESPN predicts the winner between Kentucky and Tennessee

Will the Wildcats hang with the Volunteers in Knoxville?

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops walks off the field after the Cats fall to Tennessee 33-27 Saturday night in Lexington. Kentucky is now 5-3 for the season. Oct. 28, 2023. / Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kentucky Wildcats are set to face off with the Tennessee Volunteers with their chances of making a bowl game on life support. Kentucky is 3-5 after dropping three straight games to Vanderbilt, Florida, and Auburn. Vibes were high in Lexington after almost taking down Georgia and then beating Ole Miss in Oxford, but that has all come crashing down of late.

Assuming Kentucky is able to beat Murray State, securing their fourth win, the Wildcats will have to go 2-1 against Tennessee, Texas, and Louisville to make a bowl game. The three-game losing streak to beatable teams has cost the Wildcats.

Now Kentucky has to play Tennessee in Knoxville in a football game ESPN doesn't believe the Wildcats have any kind of chance to win. ESPN gives the Wildcats only a nine percent chance to pull off their second top-ten road win of the season.

For the Wildcats to have any kind of chance in this game, the defense needs to get back to playing good football. The defense playing well will play a big role, but the Wildcats will need to get something going on offense.

Coach Stoops has not committed to a quarterback yet, so who is out there for this team is still to be seen. Kentucky has not played well in Knoxville of late, and it doesn't feel like there is any reason this year will be different. Saturday feels like a tough game for Kentucky fans to watch. If the Wildcats lose any shot of making a bowl game gets much harder than it already is.