TENNESSEE at KENTUCKY
When: 12:20 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 26
Where: Commonwealth Stadium; Lexington, Ky.
TV: SEC Network; Radio: Big Blue Sports Network
Last Meeting: Nov. 27, 2010 - @Tennessee 24, Kentucky 14

Ronnie Sneed will be playing his final game in a Kentucky uniform

2011 Tennessee Schedule
Sept. 3 – MONTANA (W, 42-16)
Sept. 10 – CINCINNATI (W, 45-23)
Sept. 17 - at Florida (L, 23-33)
Oct. 1 – BUFFALO (W, 41-10)
Oct. 8 – GEORGIA (L, 12-20)
Oct. 15 – LSU (L, 7-38)
Oct. 22 - at Alabama (L, 6-37)
Oct. 29 - SOUTH CAROLINA (L, 3-14)
Nov. 5 - MIDDLE TENNESSEE (W, 24-0)
Nov. 12 - at Arkansas (L, 7-49)
Nov. 19 – VANDERBILT (W, 27-21)*
Nov. 26 - at Kentucky
*Overtime

Notes: Tennessee leads the all-time series 74-23-9, including 35-13-3 in Lexington…The Volunteers own the nation’s longest current winning streak against a single opponent with 26 consecutive victories over Kentucky…Each of the last two meetings in Lexington have gone to overtime, with Tennessee winning 52-50 in four OTs in 2007 and 30-24 in a single OT in 2009…UK coach Joker Phillips played for the Cats in 1984, the last time UK defeated its southern neighbor…Tennessee threw for 354 yards in last season’s victory…Kentucky was tied with the Volunteers in the third quarter of that game before yielding the final 10 points of the contest…Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is in his second season at the helm.

WHAT TO WATCH
BANKING ON BRAY
The last few years have not been kind to Tennessee football. Between Lane Kiffin, NCAA violations, off the field issues and coaching changes the Volunteers’ program has looked nothing like the one that resided at the top of the Southeastern Conference for the better part of two decades.

There was light at the end of the tunnel over the final month of the 2010 season, mostly because of the electric right arm of Tyler Bray. The freshman quarterback came out of nowhere to average 309 yards passing in leading the Volunteers to victories in the final four games of the regular season, turning a 2-6 record into a Music City Bowl berth. Although Tennessee would lose that game, one in which Bray threw three interceptions, his late-season surge had the fan base excited again.

Bray continued that hope when he averaged 315.8 passing yards per game through the first five outings of the season, tossing 14 touchdowns against just two interceptions along the way. Granted, the competition wasn’t exactly daunting but Bray gave the Volunteers’ offense and identity and the team confidence. A broken thumb on his throwing hand pushed Bray’s season off the rails but a quality game to end the regular season could be a major foundational point for a program that’s still a long way from returning to glory.

PRACTING PATIENCE?
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley loves to talk. He’s outspoken, direct, honest and doesn’t much care for excuses. It’s a good thing because he will likely need all of those qualities to help guide the program through the mess left by former coach Lane Kiffin and an athletic department that looked the other way for far too long. The Volunteers have some talent, but it’s not going to be an overnight fix to get the program back to where it was in its heyday under Phil Fulmer. Can a rabid, demanding fan base be patient enough to let the son of Vince Dooley do his job or will the grumbling undermine the rebuilding project that must go on before Tennessee returns to the SEC’s elite?

VOLUNTEERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Tyler Bray, Quarterback
2011 Statistics: 132-209, 1,768 yards, 16 TD, 4 INT
Bio Buzz: The sophomore gunslinger suffered a broken thumb earlier this season and missed four games after a start that was as hot as any quarterback’s in the country. Bray must wear a glove on his injured throwing hand and if he’s ineffective or unable to protect himself freshman Justin Worley would replace him yet again. Bray threw for 354 yards and two scores against Kentucky last season.

Tauren Poole, Running Back
2011 Statistics: 178 rushes, 661 yards, 5 TD; 18 receptions, 152 yards
Bio Buzz: It has been a tough season for one of the SEC’s leading returning backs from 2010. Poole churned out 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago but has seen the production sharply reduced this year as Tennessee’s offense has mostly been a train wreck. Poole is still a quality back and opponents have run it on Kentucky all season so potential is there for a big final game.

Da’Rick Rogers, Wide Receiver
2011 Statistics: 65 receptions, 1,002 yards, 9 TD
Bio Buzz: The most excited player in Tennessee’s locker room to see the expected return of Tyler Bray is Rogers, the Southeastern Conference’s second-leading receiver in both receptions per game and receiving yards per game. Rogers is a deep threat similar to Denarius Moore, who registered 205 yards on just seven catches against Kentucky last season.

Malik Jackson, Defensive Tackle
2011 Statistics: 49.0 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks
Bio Buzz: The Volunteers have had a lot of issues in 2011 and the defense has been on the field entirely too often, but Jackson has proven to be one of the SEC’s most talented and productive interior defensive linemen. Jackson does a good job against both the run and the pass and has 10 quarterback hits to go with his pair of sacks.

Austin Johnson, Middle Linebacker
2011 Statistics: 74.0 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions
Bio Buzz: Tennessee has always seemed to produce one of the better linebacker corps around and this year’s group is headed by Johnson, a senior middle backer. Johnson will fly sideline to sideline, helped in pass coverage and give the Vols a veteran presence who isn’t easily confused by offenses around the league.