Mark Stoops gives injury update on Josh Paschal and Brenden Bates

The Kentucky Wildcats picked up a huge win Saturday night when they beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 24-2.

Josh Paschal was putting together an outstanding game including an INT that he returned 76-yards setting up a 2-yard TD run by Chris Rodriguez on the next play.

Unfortunately, Paschal went down with a knee injury and missed the 2^nd half of the game and was seen on the sideline with an icepack on his knee.

However, Paschal was listed on the depth chart for this week’s matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers, and Mark Stoops gave an update on him in his Monday press conference.

Stoops said that Paschal is “day to day” but noted that the injury is “nothing major” and he fully expects the junior d-lineman to play in Knoxville on Saturday.

That is great news for the Cats, who opened as a 6-point underdog and will need to be healthy heading into a place they haven’t won at in almost four decades.

Elsewhere, the news is not as good for tight end Brenden Bates, who suffered an undisclosed injury Saturday. Stoops said the redshirt sophomore will be out several weeks, which is tough break after Bates made his first career reception Saturday, a 14-yard catch in the second half.

Bates was playing behind Justin Rigg and Keaton Upshaw on the depth chart, but Kentucky clearly needs help in the pass-catching department, so hopefully Bates returns sooner rather than later.

The Cats and the Vols will kick off Saturday at noon and it will be aired on the SEC Network.

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