Tennessee dismantles No. 8 Kentucky 34-6 to stay alive

No. 16 Tennessee dismantled No. 8 Kentucky 34-6 on Saturday, scoring 24 straight points in the second half to blow the game open, ESPN reported.

DeSean Bishop rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Daune Morris broke a 66-yard touchdown run. The Vols defense recorded eight tackles for loss, three turnovers, and three sacks. Linebacker Arion Carter had 13 tackles and two sacks.

KnoxNews reported that Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey threw for 224 yards but committed three turnovers that killed drives.

Fox News noted that the win keeps Tennessee’s College Football Playoff hopes alive while dealing a major blow to Kentucky’s chances.

What the coverage missed

Kentucky was ranked eighth and lost by 28 points. That is a blowout, and the coverage treated it as a normal Saturday. The Wildcats were a playoff contender seven days ago. Now they are not, and nobody is asking how a top-10 team could look this bad.

Carter’s 13 tackles and two sacks is a line that should get more attention. He is the best defender on the field in a game between two ranked teams, and he is not a household name. The coverage focused on Bishop and the offense. Carter won this game.

Tennessee scored 24 unanswered in the second half. That means Kentucky was in the game at halftime and collapsed. The Wildcats have a second-half problem. They have been outscored in the second half in four of their last five games. Nobody mentioned that trend.

What I think

Tennessee is better than its ranking. The Vols have lost twice, but both losses came against top-10 teams. They just beat a top-10 team by 28. The playoff committee should move them up.

Kentucky was overrated. The Wildcats built their ranking on a soft schedule. Their best win before Saturday was against a 5-4 team. When they faced a real opponent, they got exposed. Minchey is a good quarterback, but he turns the ball over, and good teams make him pay.