LEXINGTON, Ky. - Vanderbilt had Kentucky on the ropes early Saturday night, but the Commodores couldn’t hold on.
No. 12 Kentucky rallied from a 10-0 deficit and beat Vanderbilt 34-17, handing the Commodores their fifth straight loss. For a while, it looked like Vanderbilt was in control with the kind of deliberate, possession-heavy approach that fit a classic Clark Lea game plan.
The opening stretch went Vanderbilt’s way almost from the start. Martel Hight set up the first scoring opportunity with a big punt return, and the Commodores quickly turned that field position into points. They started their second possession at the Kentucky 20-yard line and settled for a field goal, but the early tone was already set.
Then Vanderbilt put together its best drive of the night. The Commodores marched 95 yards in 16 plays and ate nearly nine minutes off the clock before Jared Curtis found Jayvontay Conner for a touchdown early in the second quarter. That score pushed Vanderbilt ahead 10-0 and put Kentucky on its heels.
At that point, Vanderbilt had built a cushion by doing exactly what it wanted to do. The Commodores had the ball more than 14 minutes longer than Kentucky and had outgained the Wildcats by more than 100 yards. But the game flipped fast.
Kentucky finally found some rhythm with a 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by a Kenny Minchey scoring pass to DJ Miller. After Vanderbilt went three-and-out, the Wildcats struck again before halftime, covering 79 yards on 13 plays to take a 14-10 lead into the break.
The momentum carried over immediately after halftime. Kentucky went 75 yards again and finished the drive with a rushing touchdown from backup quarterback Brennen Ward to stretch the lead further.
Vanderbilt did answer. On a crucial fourth down in the middle of the third quarter, Curtis delivered a touchdown pass to Ja’Cory Thomas, threading a perfect throw to cut the deficit to 21-17.
That was as close as the Commodores got. Kentucky added a pair of field goals to open up a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter, then capitalized on Vanderbilt’s late mistake. Curtis had the offense moving inside the Kentucky 40-yard line, but he threw a pass back across his body over the middle and it was intercepted.
The Wildcats turned that into another touchdown on the next drive and closed out the 34-17 win.
Vanderbilt is now 3-5 and heads into its bye week before returning Nov. 7 at Mississippi State.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Just Got A Troubling Evan Hampton Injury Scare
Vanderbilts offense took a hit in the first half against Kentucky when running back Evan Hampton was injured and carted off the field. Hampton had been one of the more promising pieces in the backfield this season, giving the Commodores production both as a runner and as a kick returner, so his departure immediately changed the feel of the afternoon.
Clark Lea confirmed Hampton was not able to finish the game and said he will need X-rays to determine the extent of the injury. The timing only added to the concern for Vanderbilt, with Hampton going down in a game that carried an extra layer for him personally, and the Commodores now have to wait for more clarity on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Loss Still Featured Record-Book Movement Fans Should Notice
Even in a loss to Kentucky on Oct. 24, Vanderbilt still found a few entries worth noting in the record book, with the kind of individual progress that can get lost when the final score goes the wrong way. The game notes from the Wildcats matchup pointed to a handful of bright spots on both sides of the ball, along with the sort of special teams and defensive details that usually matter most when a team is trying to steady itself late in the season.
One of the biggest takeaways for the Commodores was the continued climb of Sherrill, whose consistency has become part of Vanderbilts weekly storyline. Jared Curtis also added another marker to his freshman rsum, moving up among the programs all-time leaders in passing production for first-year quarterbacks. Even in a rough result, those are the kinds of milestones that suggest the foundation is still being built, and there may be more school history still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vanderbilt Star Just Reopened An Awkward Commodores Conversation
Ray Davis career has given Vanderbilt fans plenty to appreciate, even if his loyalties have become a little more complicated since he left Nashville. The former Commodores running back made an impact at both Vanderbilt and Kentucky before moving on to the NFL, where he now holds a roster spot with the Buffalo Bills.
Still, his role around the week 8 meeting between Kentucky and Vanderbilt put an old tug-of-war back in the spotlight. Davis was on the Kentucky side of the aisle for that game, another reminder of how openly he has leaned toward his second college stop since reaching the league, and it reopened an awkward conversation for Commodores fans who remember how much he once meant to their program. [Read more 🡒]