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More than streak on the line for Vols, Wildcats

Published November 27th, 2009 | 0 Comments

Kentucky boasts three straight wins in bowl games and is in the midst of a fourth consecutive season with seven or more victories.

Compared to the historical standard of Wildcats football, that’s a revelation.

For all that success, however, Kentucky still hasn’t beaten Tennessee.

The Volunteers take the longest active winning streak over a single opponent in the Football Bowl Subdivision into Lexington, Ky., tonight to face the Wildcats.

“That is my job, to try to get more positive things happening in what used to be a rivalry, but of late it hasn’t been because (the Vols) have owned it,” Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said this week.

That requires a loose definition of “of late.” UT hasn’t lost to Kentucky since 1984.

In the here and now, winning this mutual regular-season finale carries tremendous significance for both Southeastern Conference teams. The victor finishes second in the SEC East.

Publicly, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has taken an even- keel approach to every game on the schedule and didn’t change tactics this week.

“The history of this series means nothing to this game. I’m sorry, it doesn’t,” he said when asked about the Kentucky streak. “We are playing a team that their seniors have won just as many games as our seniors. We are playing a team that their seniors have been to more bowl games than our seniors.

“This is not the old Kentucky team,” Kiffin added.

Kentucky (7-4, 3-4) has been one of those to jump on the bandwagon of the new fad in football, the wildcat offense. Randall Cobb, a product of Alcoa just outside the Knoxville city limits, runs that package for Kentucky.

“Every time the ball’s in his hand there’s potential for a big play,” Vols linebacker Rico McCoy said.

Kiffin wasn’t around when Cobb opted to sign with Kentucky, but he’s not thrilled to see the local guy on the opposite sideline.

“Not only would he make us better and be playing for us and scoring touchdowns for us, but also he wouldn’t be on their team,” Kiffin said. “I think you’re talking about potentially a 14- to 21-point difference in one player about whether he signed at Tennessee or went to Kentucky.”

If the Vols (6-5, 3-4) have something like the wildcat in the playbook, it hasn’t been revealed yet — aside from the occasional direct snap to since-departed Nu’Keese Richardson.

Kiffin’s pro-style offense is 33rd nationally in scoring and 56th in total yardage, well up from the 2008 attack under Phillip Fulmer that ranked near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision in both categories.

EXTRA POINTS: Janzen Jackson returns to the lineup for the Vols at free safety following his reinstatement to the team earlier this week after robbery charges against him were dropped. … Tennessee is favored by 2½ to 3 points, down slightly from the opening line of 3½ points. … Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and ESPNU will televise the game. … Temperatures in Lexington tonight are expected to be in the 40s.

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