By Anna Reiffer
The stage is set and the time is now.
In what is both homecoming and the annual Dark Mode game, the Vols will host the Kentucky Wildcats at 6:15 p.m. on Nov. 8.
With all the energy surrounding the weekend, Vol head coach Josh Heupel says the team is locked in and ready to play a red-hot Wildcat team.
“There’s always a ton of noise outside of your building,” Heupel said. “We have one opponent this week and it’s Kentucky.”
Heupel previews homecoming
The Vols are coming off a bye week after falling to the South Carolina Gamecocks 27-24 on the road on Oct. 24.
Officials overturned three of the Vols’ touchdowns against the Gamecocks, turning a devastating loss into a dominant victory.
While Heupel is 5-0 against Kentucky at the Vols’ helm, this season has been anything but ordinary for the Kentucky Wildcats.
The season began as a jigsaw puzzle for the Wildcats, with 34 portal additions under first-year head coach Will Stein.
Fortunately for the Wildcats, the pieces quickly fell into place, and they now tie Georgia atop the SEC with a 5-1 conference record.
Known in recent history for pulling off the occasional upset but falling apart late in the season, the Wildcats are now known for their persistence and clutch scoring.
The Wildcats have won three one-score finishes, including overtime thrillers against LSU and South Carolina, credited to Will Stein’s aggressive two-point conversion playcalling.
“They finish extremely well,” Heupel said. “It comes down to doing the ordinary things at a really high level.”
The Wildcat defense has been dominant as well, producing 13 takeaways, including 11 interceptions, and Heupel acknowledges that with that, this contest will be anything but a layup.
“Their defense has created a bunch of turnovers,” Heupel said. “Defensively, we have to control the line of scrimmage… get them into third-and-long situations.”
On the Vols’ defense, Arion Carter has been essential, with 46 tackles and two sacks.
Heupel has noticed.
“He’s a really mature player, even from the day he got on campus,” Heupel said. “He’s continued to get better every single week.”
Defensive back Qua Moss has also provided energy to the Vols’ defense with 26 tackles, a sack and a touchdown from a punt return.
“He has a great understanding of what we’re doing defensively,” Heupel said. “He’s a complete football player.”
On the other side of the ball, DeSean Bishop’s late-game injury against the Gamecocks forced the other running backs to share the load.
With Bishop back to full health and set to play on Saturday, Javin Gordon and Daune Morris will help manage his workload.
“Both of those guys are gonna be a part of it,” Heupel said. “We’re gonna need [Morris], we’re gonna need Daune, all those guys as we go down the stretch.”
The Vols and the Wildcats both have an open date on Oct. 31, but Kentucky getting a week off before heading into Neyland Stadium doesn’t scare this playoff-bubble Vols team.
“They get an extra week of preparation,” Heupel said. “But we do too.”
For the Vols, an off week doesn’t mean more sleep; it means more time to practice, refine, and polish their schemes, something they don’t take lightly.
“They were intentional when they were in the building,” Heupel said. “They were refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to go this morning, but we’ve gotta carry that throughout the week.”
While Heupel is confident in his team’s abilities, he isn’t blind to the unique challenge this Kentucky team presents.
“They’re playing smart football,” Heupel said. “They’re a complete team. Offense, defense, special teams.”
For the Vols, the week of preparation after the bye was a chance to address the mistakes that contributed to their loss in Columbia and refocus ahead of the season’s final stretch.
Wide receiver Braylon Staley understands the importance of every practice, especially as the team prepares to face a Kentucky defense that has made creating turnovers a strength.
“Have great attention to detail,” Staley said. “When it comes to game time, we’ve gotta be able to just go play ball.”
With the College Football Playoff picture beginning to take shape, the pressure surrounding each remaining matchup continues to grow. However, Staley strongly believes that you need to stay consistent under pressure.
“You’ve always gotta have the same mindset, even if you’re not in the playoffs,” Staley said.
As the Vols look to finish the season strong, leadership has become increasingly important, particularly among the team’s younger players. Staley pointed to the growth of quarterback George MacIntyre as he’s transitioned from being a backup to the starting role.
“He’s grown a lot,” Staley said. “He’s being the leader he wants to be… It’s been really good to see him grow.”
That growth has also been reflected throughout the team’s preparation this week. With an opportunity to regroup during the bye, the Vols have placed an emphasis on getting back to the fundamentals and holding one another accountable.
Staley acknowledged the intensity of practice, crediting the coaching staff for pushing the team to prepare at a high level.
“He was on us a good bit, but I think that’s what you need,” Staley said. “It’s been a good week of practice for us.”
UP NEXT: As Tennessee prepares to welcome Kentucky to Neyland Stadium, the Vols will need to translate that preparation into execution on the field.
With homecoming festivities, the annual Dark Mode game, and a pivotal SEC matchup converging on Saturday, Neyland’s atmosphere is expected to be electric.
But for the Vols, the objective remains straightforward: take care of business.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. on Nov. 8.