LEXINGTON, KY (LEX 18) — Saturday night marked yet another chapter in the illustrious rivalry between Kentucky and Tennessee, with both teams in need of a win. The Volunteers were hoping to keep their college football playoff hopes alive, while the Wildcats aimed to end a streak of losing in conference play.
It was a vintage night for No. 17 Tennessee and Joey Aguilar in a 56-34 dominant win over the Wildcats. Kentucky has dropped five straight to its Smoky Mountain rival.
The Volunteers' offense, that came into the game averaging over 44 points per game, struck early. Tennessee's Joey Aguilar connected with Chris Brazzell II for a 35-yard strike to get the scoring started just 1:19 into the game.
Kentucky tried to strike back with good field position, but Cutter Boley had a pass deflected, intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Edrees Farooq. Tennessee took a 14-0 lead with 6:56 left in the first quarter.
Kendrick Law gave Big Blue Nation a sign of life, taking a screen pass 71 yards for his second touchdown of the season. That cut the deficit to one possession with 6:19 left in the first quarter.
NO CATCHING @KendrickLaw2 🏃💨
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 26, 2025
📺 - SEC Network pic.twitter.com/T4CgE0HvXH
Boley dialed up another long range strike through the air in the second quarter. The redshirt freshman connected with DJ Miller for a 56-yard touchdown, Miller's first career score. Miller scored again in the second half, and finished with a career day of five catches, 120 yards and two touchdowns.
.@cutterBoley is the first freshman QB in school history to throw four touchdowns in a single game.
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 26, 2025
📺 - SEC Network pic.twitter.com/yxNR9mKrBn
Later in the first half, J.J. Hester caught his first touchdown of the season to bring the Wildcats withing a score once again.
Boley finished the night 26 for 35 with 330 passing yards and five touchdowns with one interception.
In the last six quarter of football Cutter Boley is 44-58 (75.8%) for 455 passing yards, 4 total TD, 2 INT and 69 rushing yards.
— Noah Cierzan (@ncierzan) October 26, 2025
It feels like the redshirt freshman is the rising tide that's beginning to lift the boats on offense.@BBNTonight
At every single turn, though, the Volunteers offense had a response. Tennessee finished off the first half with yet another touchdown, after Aguilar connected with Ethan Davis. The Volunteers led 35-21 heading into the break, and never looked back.
Aguilar extended the Tennessee lead with a 62-yard touchdown to Mike Matthews. The Volunteer quarterback finished the day 20 for 26 with 396 yards and three touchdowns.
While the Kentucky offense made strides, the defense allowed 504 yards of offense and allowed the most first half points at home since 2016 against New Mexico.
The Wildcats losing streak in SEC play now sits at ten games. They'll have an opportunity to change that when they hit the road to take on Auburn on Saturday Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
