Kentucky will look to build on its ten-win season from a year ago with a schedule that provides plenty of opportunities. The Wildcats were selected by the media to finish second in the SEC East, but there is optimism around the opportunity to compete for a spot in Atlanta coming out of Lexington. In this installment of "Making the Case," the Wildcats Today staff shares their opinion on which game is most important on Kentucky's schedule.

There will likely be four games this season where Kentucky is the underdog. Three of those will come on the road, and none may be more important than the yearly tilt against the Tennessee Volunteers, this time inside Neyland Stadium on Oct. 29. There’s a real chance that UK will enter the matchup with two losses on the year, at Florida and at Ole Miss. If that’s the case, Kentucky will need to defeat the Vols to ensure that it has a chance to finish second in the SEC East, with its game against Georgia still to come. If Kentucky manages to win one or both of the aforementioned away games before coming to Knoxville, then it may have a shot to win its way into a potential all-or-nothing game against the Dawgs for possession of the division. Last year’s game between UK and UT was a back-and-forth offensive flurry of punches that ultimately saw the Vols sneak out of Lexington with a 45-42 win. There’s a chance that Will Levis and Hendon Hooker will once again trade blows in a shootout, with season trajectories on the line. 

This is tough because, with the way Kentucky's schedule unfolds, one could certainly make a case for Georgia to be the most important game on the schedule. However, I believe the most pivotal game for Kentucky comes against SEC East rival Tennessee. I think Kentucky will enter October undefeated. The next stretch of three games against Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Mississippi State is tough but winnable. If the Wildcats can win even one of these three, then beat Tennessee, they have a chance to finish second in the East again. Now, that is not what expectations are, but it is still nothing to scoff at. If Kentucky handles business leading into Tennessee, which is highly possible, this game becomes even more critical. Because if you win it, you set yourself up for a showdown against Georgia that will likely be for the SEC East crown. Even when Kentucky has been at its best of late, they have not been able to beat Tennessee consistently. That is why this game is the most important on the schedule for me.

Kentucky will open its season on September 3rd against Miami (OH) as Mark Stoops enters his tenth season as head coach of the Wildcats.