Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) passes the ball towards the Alabama Crimson Tide through the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Steve Roberts-Imagn Photos 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) surprised then-sixth-ranked Ole Miss 20-17 in Oxford, Miss., in its most up-to-date sport Sept. 28.
Quarterback Brock Vandagriff (243 yards, one landing) had his finest sport 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 got to double down on our method, double down on what we do no matter who we play as a result of all people goes to play arduous it doesn’t matter what the kind of sport it’s,” Commodores working again Sedrick Alexander mentioned.
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 accomplished,” Stoops mentioned, referencing the Commodores’ huge win.
Vanderbilt’s offense vs. the Wildcats’ protection would be the strength-on-strength matchup everybody desires to see.
Kentucky has allowed a mean of simply 13.4 factors per contest, rating eleventh nationally.
The Wildcats function standouts throughout the sector, together with 6-foot-6, 345-pound defensive deal with 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 towards 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 towards a protection that is had bother with athletic wideouts.
Nevertheless, the Wildcats have allowed 15 sacks and thrown 4 interceptions, which might be a difficulty towards a protection that compelled two turnovers (one, a Randon Fontenette pick-6) vs. Alabama.
–Subject Degree Media
