Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) passes the ball in opposition to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the course of the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Steve Roberts-Imagn Photographs Two groups coming off monumental wins will meet Saturday night time in Lexington, Ky., when Kentucky hosts Vanderbilt in a Southeastern Convention conflict.
Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) scored the most important win in program historical past final Saturday, surprising then-No. 1 Alabama 40-35.
Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia was 16-of-20 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns whereas speeding for 56 yards. Vanderbilt did not flip the ball over and held it for simply over 42 minutes.
Kentucky (3-2, 1-2) shocked then-sixth-ranked Ole Miss 20-17 in Oxford, Miss., in its most up-to-date recreation Sept. 28.
Quarterback Brock Vandagriff (243 yards, one landing) had his finest recreation in his first season with the Wildcats, and the protection held the Rebels to 353 yards.
Each groups even have felt the sting of disappointment.
For Vanderbilt, that got here in a 36-32 loss at Georgia State on Sept. 14.
“We have to double down on our approach, double down on what we do no matter who we play as a result of all people goes to play laborious it doesn’t matter what the kind of recreation it’s,” Commodores operating again Sedrick Alexander stated.
Kentucky has come a good distance since dropping 31-6 in its convention opener to South Carolina on Sept. 7, and Wildcats coach Mark Stoops acknowledged this week to reporters that Vanderbilt has, too. The Commodores have not had a successful season since 2013.
“Coming into this press convention, I haven’t got to work about promoting Vanderbilt anymore and telling you ways good they’re, how good (coach) Clark Lea has performed,” Stoops stated, referencing the Commodores’ huge win.
Vanderbilt’s offense vs. the Wildcats’ protection would be the strength-on-strength matchup everybody needs to see.
Kentucky has allowed a median of simply 13.4 factors per contest, rating eleventh nationally.
The Wildcats characteristic standouts throughout the sector, together with 6-foot-6, 345-pound defensive sort out Deone Walker, skilled edge gamers in D’Eryk Jackson (a team-leading 26 tackles) and J.J. Weaver (three sacks), together with cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who had a pair of pick-6s in opposition to the Commodores final season.
Alabama by no means solved Vanderbilt’s option-based performs final week and likewise had bother with shovel passes to tight finish Eli Stowers (25 catches, 333 yards), who’s additionally thrown a landing this season.
Kentucky receivers Dane Key, Barion Brown and Ja’Mori Maclin may trigger points in opposition to a protection that is had bother with athletic wideouts.
Nonetheless, the Wildcats have allowed 15 sacks and thrown 4 interceptions, which may very well be a problem in opposition to a protection that compelled two turnovers (one, a Randon Fontenette pick-6) vs. Alabama.
–Subject Stage Media