Jeremy Pruitt has yet to lose to Kentucky during his head coaching tenure, but that doesn’t mean Tennessee’s coach doesn’t have a massive amount of respect for Mark Stoops’ program.

Tennessee opened as a 7-point favorite in this game but that figure has already been bet down by the public. Last season, Tennessee beat Kentucky 17-13 but needed a goalline stand in the final moments of the game to hold on for the victory in Lexington.

This year, Kentucky travels to Neyland Stadium, a venue the Wildcats have not won in dating back to the 1984 season.

Here is what Pruitt had to say about Kentucky on Monday during his first press conference of the week.

“Well, they play good defense and really, probably, should be 3-0, if you look at them,” Pruitt said of the Wildcats. “I mean, they lost a tough one against Ole Miss and I think we all saw what happened down at Auburn. You know, the play that was reviewed there, but very easily could be 3-0.

“Have been one of the better teams in our conference for the last several years. They’re committed to running the football. They believe in their plan. They’re a physical team that’s discipline. They play well together. So it’ll be a tremendous challenge for us.”

For the first time this season, Kentucky backup QB Joey Gatewood made an appearance for the Wildcats last weekend.

Does Pruitt expect to see more of Gatewood with Terry Wilson struggling to push the ball down the field this season?

“I think they’re similar quarterbacks,” Pruitt said. “He played a little bit this past week so we have to be ready for everything.”