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The No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats clash with the third-ranked Tennessee Volunteers in a key SEC East showdown on Thursday. For the first time since 1951, both teams are ranked entering the matchup. The Wildcats (5-2, 2-2) are tied for third in the division with South Carolina, and are 1-1 in road games in 2022. The Volunteers (7-0, 3-0), who are in second place, trail Georgia by one-half game. Tennessee is 5-0 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., this season.

The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET. The Volunteers are favored by 11.5 points in the Kentucky vs. Tennessee odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 62. Before making any Tennessee vs. Kentucky picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. Kentucky and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college football odds and trends for Kentucky vs. Tennessee:

  • Tennessee vs. Kentucky spread: Tennessee -11.5
  • Tennessee vs. Kentucky over/under: 62 points
  • Tennessee vs. Kentucky money line: Kentucky +335, Tennessee -450
  • UK: The Wildcats are 20-5-2 against the spread in their last 27 games against a team with a winning record
  • TENN: The Volunteers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall
  • Tennessee vs. Kentucky picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Tennessee can cover

The Volunteers have a one-two punch at running back with junior Jabari Small and sophomore Jaylen Wright who do a lot to support quarterback Hendon Hooker and the rest of the offense. Wright leads the team with 405 yards rushing on 85 carries (4.8 average) and four touchdowns. His best game was Sept. 17 in a 63-6 win over Akron. In that game, Wright rushed 23 times for 96 yards (4.2 average) and two TDs. He had 13 carries for 88 yards (6.8 average) and one score in a 59-10 season-opening victory over Ball State.

Small has rushed a team-high 89 times for 397 yards (4.5 average) and eight touchdowns. Small had a monster game at 25th-ranked LSU on Oct. 8. In that game, he carried 22 times for 127 yards (5.8 average) and two touchdowns. Small also scored two touchdowns in a 34-27 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Sept. 10. He has rushed for at least one score in six of seven games this season. Tennessee is also hoping to get wide receiver Cedric Tillman back after he's missed more than a month with an ankle injury.

Why Kentucky can cover

Senior quarterback Will Levis powers the Wildcats' offense. In six games this season, Levis has completed 114 of 164 passes (69.5%) for 1,635 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions and a rating of 173.3. In the win over Mississippi State, Levis completed 17 of 23 passes (73.9%) for 230 yards and one touchdown and one interception. He threw for four touchdowns on 18 of 26 passing (69.2 percent) for 303 yards in a 31-23 win over Northern Illinois on Sept. 24.

Senior running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. also helps power the Wildcat offense. He has carried 72 times for 395 yards (5.5 average) and three touchdowns in just three games. Against Mississippi State last weekend, he was a workhorse, carrying 31 times for 197 yards and two scores. A week earlier against South Carolina, Rodriguez rushed 22 times for 126 yards. He is coming off a 1,379-yard season from a year ago with nine TDs.

How to make Kentucky vs. Tennessee picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 56 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Tennessee vs. Kentucky? And which side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.