The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Tennessee-Kentucky

Tennessee84-25-9Kentucky
Power Program II#19 of 138–National Program II#43 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →
4 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Tennessee leads the all-time series 84-25-9. They've met 118 times since 1906. Tennessee has won the last 5.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Tennessee
Transfer portal
-5
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -26
What fans are saying · player performance
fans believe Tennessee's defense ranks among the nation's best
Tennessee defense is elite for sure hope we stay healthy on defense
Verified verbatim
Kentucky
Win total
7.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+4
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +21
What fans are saying · player performance
One fan thinks the team failed to convert crucial touchdowns near the goal line
There was a red zone drive earlier in the game where Kentucky was about on the 5 and had an empty set and the alignment by the defense was the same.
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1906–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeTennesseeKentuckyevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Tennessee won, gray: Kentucky won)192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Tennessee has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Tennessee led 14 and Kentucky led 9.

more passmore runTennesseeKentucky2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262019Tennessee 12.8 ptsTennessee won 17-132015Kentucky 11.1 ptsTennessee won 52-212026Kentucky 8.7 pts
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Tennessee once won 26 in a row. The biggest win was Tennessee by 52 in 1994. The biggest crowd, 105,462, was in 2002.

The coaching duels

Johnny Majors vs Jerry Claiborne7-1
Bob Neyland vs Bear Bryant5-0-2
Bowden Wyatt vs Blanton Collier2-4-1
Phillip Fulmer vs Rich Brooks6-0
Doug Dickey vs Charley Bradshaw4-1
Johnny Majors vs Fran Curci3-2

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
203-98
Tennessee leads
1st-rounders
40-10
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
TennesseeKentucky
1960s8-2
1970s18-16
1980s26-10
1990s46-15
2000s54-14
2010s25-16
2020s26-25

Best picks, either side

1998Peyton Manning Quarterback · Indianapolis ColtsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1999Tim Couch Quarterback · Cleveland BrownsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1968Bob Johnson Center · Cincinnati BengalsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
1978Art Still Defensive End · Kansas City ChiefsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
1994Heath Shuler Quarterback · Washington RedskinsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
2003Dewayne Robertson Defensive Tackle · New York JetsRd 1, pick 4#4 overall
2000Jamal Lewis Running Back · Baltimore RavensRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
2010Eric Berry Safety · Kansas City ChiefsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Kentucky1.10×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2025Tennessee56-34
2024Tennessee28-18
2023Tennessee33-27
2022Tennessee44-6Kentucky — both ranked
2021Tennessee45-42
2020Kentucky34-7Tennessee — Tennessee routed by 27
2019Tennessee17-13
2018Tennessee24-7Kentucky — Kentucky routed by 17
2017Kentucky29-26
2016Tennessee49-36
2015Tennessee52-21
2014Tennessee50-16
2013Tennessee27-14
2012Tennessee37-17

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Tennessee’s chance to win through that meeting. Tennessee is 4-0 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2025Tennessee 56-34Tennessee won 56-34 at Kentucky. Chance to win started at 62%, low 62%, high better than 99%.Steady
2024Tennessee 28-18Tennessee won 28-18 vs Kentucky. Chance to win started at 82%, low 7%, high 93%.Busy
2023Tennessee 33-27Tennessee won 33-27 at Kentucky. Chance to win started at 62%, low 51%, high 97%.Busy
2022Tennessee 44-6Tennessee won 44-6 vs Kentucky. Chance to win started at 78%, low 74%, high better than 99%.Busy
2021Tennessee 45-42Tennessee won 45-42 at Kentucky. Chance to win started at 71%, low 28%, high 91%.
2020Kentucky 34-7Tennessee lost 7-34 vs Kentucky. Chance to win started at 64%, low under 1%, high 76%.
2019Tennessee 17-13Tennessee won 17-13 at Kentucky. Chance to win started at 44%, low 12%, high 80%.
2018Tennessee 24-7Tennessee won 24-7 vs Kentucky. Chance to win started at 36%, low 28%, high 99%.
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “Good sign for me being able to get to bed on time (10pm) (I'm an elderly man in the body of a 30 year old)”
    A Tennessee fan

Meetings with their own story page

2 meetings in our archive, 2018 to 2022.