OFFENSE: D

Kentucky’s offense looked as out of sync as it has all season in Saturday’s loss to Tennessee. The Wildcats completed fewer than 50 percent of their passes, averaged fewer than three yards per carry and managed just one touchdown all game. Furthermore, the Cats were 3 of 14 on third downs, recorded just 15 first downs to Tennessee’s 28 and committed two turnovers in defeat. The reason the offense doesn’t receive a big fat F is quarterback Patrick Towles’ absence for a chunk of the first half. The offense shut down in Towles’ absence, and it was during that time that Tennessee began to pull away on the scoreboard. Thus, the offense earns a dismal D instead.

DEFENSE: F

The Wildcats’ defense absolutely flunked its test against Josh Dobbs and Tennessee on Saturday. Dobbs torched UK for 197 yards through the air, 48 on the ground and four total touchdowns in the 34-point rout. UT tailback Jalen Hurd ran for 118 yards at close to five yards per carry, and nine different Tennessee skill players caught a pass in the victory. Tennessee earned an eight minute advantage in time of possession, rushed for more than 200 yards as a team and never turned the ball over, scoring almost at will in the game’s first three quarters. Kentucky appeared overmatched from the game’s opening kickoff, and after allowing 50 points in just three quarters its easy to see that Kentucky’s defense failed on Saturday.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D

Kentucky’s special teams have been reminiscent of a dumpster fire in recent weeks, and the same held true in Saturday’s loss. The Cats allowed Tennessee more than 30 yards per kickoff return; they averaged just 21 per return themselves. Likewise, they allowed UT six yards per punt return, yet never even returned a punt themselves in a losing effort. Kentucky’s Landon Foster was called upon to punt a whopping eight times, and it was only thanks to a few big punts late in the game with the result already decided that Foster finally worked his average up to 40 yards per punt. The lone bright spot for the Kentucky special teams was kicker Austin MacGinnis, who was 3 of 3 on field goal tries including a 54-yarder to end the first half. MacGinnis is the only reason the Cats’ putrid special teams earned a D instead of another F in Saturday’s loss.

COACHING: F

The coaching staff failed on Saturday, and it really is as simple as that. There are no metrics to measure this statistically, but anyone who watched the game saw a Kentucky team that appeared overmatched and underprepared for a Tennessee team entering the game with a modest 4-5 record. Sure, Tennessee has been much better than a 4-5 team since Dobbs took over at quarterback, but the Cats were more helpless against Dobbs than any other player on UT’s roster, looking as if they didn’t even expect him to play. Kentucky couldn’t finish drives on offense, couldn’t stop anyone on defense, couldn’t figure out its issues on special teams and were lucky to only lose by 34 points and not more. Mark Stoops is still learning what it takes to win in the SEC on a consistent basis, and Saturday’s loss showed he has a lot left to learn.

OVERALL: D-

Kentucky’s loss wasn’t a complete and utter failure, as players like Bud Dupree (15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack), Javess Blue (six catches for 131 yards) and MacGinnis did their part despite receiving little to no help from the rest of the team. It was an ugly showing, and an embarrassing performance by a team that has now lost five straight games on the cusp of bowl eligibility, but in a few minor ways it could have been worse. Thus, the team earns a D-minus, letting you know it was horrendous in defeat while doing just enough to look like an actual college team in the process.