What started out as a competitive game quickly went south for Will Stein and the Kentucky football team. A 10-6 halftime score quickly turned into a 34-6 loss to Tennessee, and put a huge dent in the chances of making the College Football Playoff. Still, some Wildcats played well.
The game was really a tale of two halves. In the first half, Kentucky moved the ball well at times, but couldn't finish off drives, settling for field goals instead. Defensively, they kept the Tennessee offense under wraps for the most part.
Like their earlier loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, in the second half things unwound. A fumble gave the Vols a short field to score from. Then, a failed fourth down attempt resulted in another score. Nothing went right after halftime,
and the end result was an ugly loss to a rival.
So, after the week ten loss, whose stock is up, and whose is down? Here's a look at this week's Kentucky football stock report.
Stock up: Willie Rodriguez
Will Stein has repeatedly touted Rodriguez as a top talent, and the Kentucky tight end keeps proving him right. On a day when the offense struggled at times, he still recorded 6 catches for 81 yards. He has an NFL future.
Stock down: Run defense
The Wildcats had done a very good job at defending the run this season, and if they could slow Tennessee's rushing attack, and make them throw the ball, they could get the win. Unfortunately, they gave up 240 yards on the ground, and the Vols didn't have to rely on the passing game much, allowing Tennessee to control the game.
Stock up: Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace
Several Wildcats players have improved their odds at being drafted this season, but few have helped themselves like Humphrey-Grace. He had another 1.5 sacks on Saturday, and continues to move up draft boards. He has 6 sacks and 9 tackles for a loss this year.
Stock down: Kenny Minchey
It was a tough outing for the Kentucky quarterback. He was mostly efficient, completing 26-of-34 passes for 224 yards. However, he couldn't get them in the endzone, and he turned the ball over twice. It wasn't a bad game at all, but not up to his usual standards.
Stock up: Kenny Darby
Like Humphrey-Grace, it seems as though every week, Darby just goes out and puts up good numbers. He has become their top receiver as a freshman, and his future is bright. He caught 7 passes this week for 69 yards.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Stock up, stock down in Kentucky loss to Tennessee
