LEXINGTON - Kentucky’s win over Vanderbilt on Oct. 24 did more than extend the Wildcats’ run to six straight. It put them alone at the top of the SEC standings for the first time since 1950, and it came with the kind of defensive and offensive wrinkles that have become a theme under first-year coach Will Stein.
The 34-17 victory at Kroger Field was sealed the same way so many Kentucky wins have been lately: with a turnover. Ty Bryant jumped a Jared Curtis pass in the third quarter, his fourth interception over the last three games, and Kentucky turned that stop into points on the next possession when Kenny Minchey powered into the end zone. At the time, the Wildcats were protecting a 27-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Stein’s first reaction to Bryant’s pick wasn’t celebration. It was concern.
He ran over when he saw Bryant on the turf, only to realize the defensive back was fine.
"He was just smiling on his back," Stein said, "so I popped him up."
Bryant, for his part, said that moment stood out just as much as the interception itself. He said he had never had a coach be the first person to celebrate with him after a turnover.
"It was the first time," Bryant said. "So yeah, that's definitely one for the books."
That’s the kind of week Kentucky is having. One in which things that haven’t happened in Lexington for decades keep piling up.
The league standing is the big one. Kentucky sits alone in first place after Week 8, though it may not stay that way long.
Georgia was idle Oct. 24 and returns Oct. 31 against Florida in Atlanta. The Bulldogs are a half-game back at 4-1 in SEC play, and a win would move them level with Kentucky, which is off next week.
Stein downplayed the moment while making sure his players got the credit.
"All that's great. I love all that stuff," he said.
"But what really matters is our players. Really proud of them, their grit, their toughness, their fight.
Beat a good football team (in Vanderbilt). Those guys have been in every single game that they've played in.
But it shows, again, that we're a really good football team and find ways to win in all three phases."
Defensive lineman Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace said the Wildcats understand the bigger picture, too. Kentucky still has a path to the SEC championship game for the first time in program history, and it is one of three teams that controls its own fate.
"It's good, man," he said. "I think that's what you work for in the summer and strive (for), but (there's) still more work to be done. So if we want to be first (at the end of the season), we've got to keep going."
For Bryant, the moment meant something extra because of where he’s from and what he’s lived through in his four seasons with the program. Kentucky went just 3-13 against SEC opponents over the previous two years, and he said this run feels different.
"It means the world to me," he said. "Being a kid from Lexington, too, obviously my whole life, I've kept up with Kentucky football and I've never seen us get (off) to a hot start like this. ... I'm just so glad that I'm a part of this team."
The defense kept doing what it has done all season: create chaos. Kentucky has now strung together seven straight games with multiple takeaways. Against Vanderbilt, Bryant’s interception was paired with a fumble recovery by Tavion Gadson after Humphrey-Grace forced the loose ball.
"We just pride ourselves on turnovers," Humphrey-Grace said. "We try to get a turnover every drive or whatever. ... Lately, we've just getting 'em when it counts."
He went even further when asked about the group’s confidence in those moments.
"I feel like when it's time to go - when we need a turnover - like, we're going to get it, for sure," Humphrey-Grace said. "If you put it in the air, we're taking it out of the air. You put it on the ground, we're going to get it."
Curtis still had moments, including a 34-yard strike to Ja'Cory Thomas for a third-quarter touchdown. Stein, who had recruited Curtis when he was at Oregon, called him one of the best players in college football.
"Listen, Jared Curtis is going to be one of the elite players in college football," Stein said. "So he made some plays, and obviously made some plays I'm sure he wants back."
Kentucky also found some new ways to use its tight ends in the run game. Mikkel Skinner, long known for his athleticism, had four rushing attempts for 24 yards, matching his total from the first seven games combined. Stein said that package had been in the works for the last two weeks.
"He's one of the most dynamic players on our team," Stein said. "When the ball's in his hand, typically good things happen.
So we have to continue to find ways to get our best players the ball. Mikkel has shown the ability to be explosive in the run game and the pass game."
Willie Rodriguez was part of that plan too. Through seven games, he had 33 catches and was just one behind Kenny Darby for the team lead entering the night.
He again led Kentucky with six receptions against Vanderbilt, but he also made his mark on the ground. Less than a minute before halftime, he took a direct snap on a play that was supposed to be a pop pass.
When that broke down, he kept it himself, drifted to the right and scored.
"He just, I guess, saw grass to the right," Stein said, "and that's what good football players tend to do: Give them the ball, and good things can happen."
In Other News...
Kentucky Survived Another Injury Scare In A Huge SEC Win
Kentucky needed a response after falling behind 10-0, and it found one in a win that mattered well beyond the standings. The Wildcats beat Vanderbilt 34-17 on Saturday, moving to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in SEC play while shaking off a slow start with a comeback that flipped the game before halftime and let them settle in from there.
The bigger concern around this team remains the injuries, with multiple key players already dealing with issues, so every game can feel like a survival test as much as a conference battle. Even with that backdrop, Kenny Minchey turned in a strong performance and the defense kept making important plays, giving Kentucky a needed boost as it tries to stay in the thick of the SEC race. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Heads Into Bye Week With A Ranking Debate Fans Will Love
Kentucky spent Saturday doing more than just beating Vanderbilt 34-17 at home. The Wildcats erased an early 10-0 deficit, leaned on timely offense and forced the kind of defensive turnovers that can turn a tense afternoon into a convincing win, all while pushing their record to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in SEC play.
Now comes the part every idle fan base enjoys: the ranking debate. Kentucky sits 12th in both the AP and Coaches Polls, but projections have them positioned to climb after losses by teams ahead of them, with a move as high as ninth on the table when the new polls arrive. After a bye week, the Wildcats will have time to enjoy the win, and plenty of room for the conversation to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Offense Just Unveiled A New Threat For SEC Defenses
Kentuckys offensive staff spent the Vanderbilt win showing just how many ways this unit can stress a defense. Under Will Stein and Joe Sloan, the Wildcats mixed in multiple players taking snaps and sprinkled in trick plays, turning a routine game into a preview of how flexible this offense can be when it wants to get creative. The approach was broad enough to include direct snaps to tight ends and running backs, giving Kentucky a handful of different looks to build on moving forward.
One of the more memorable moments came when fourth-string quarterback Brennen Ward scored on his first collegiate rush out of a wildcat formation. It was the kind of wrinkle that not only adds energy in the moment but also hints at how much the Wildcats are willing to expand their playbook if it helps create an edge. For SEC defenses, the challenge now is not just stopping Kentuckys base offense, but preparing for the extra layers it can unveil on any given snap. [Read more 🡒]