SEC Football Preview: Kentucky at Vanderbilt

Kentucky-Vanderbilt football game preview

Kentucky faces Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville. 14Powers.com previews this SEC football game and predicts the final score.

Rowan Rehbein, 14Powers.com SEC Football

TEAM SCHEDULES/RESULTS

Kentucky

Date Opponent TV
2-Sep vs. Ball State W 44-14
9-Sep vs. Eastern Kentucky W 28-17
16-Sep vs. Akron W 35-3
23-Sep at Vanderbilt SECN
30-Sep vs. Florida
7-Oct at Georgia
14-Oct vs. Missouri
28-Oct vs. Tennessee
4-Nov at Mississippi State
11-Nov vs. Alabama
18-Nov at South Carolina
25-Nov at Louisville

Vanderbilt

Date Opponent TV
26-Aug vs. Hawaii W 35-28
2-Sep vs. Alabama A&M W 47-13
9-Sep at Wake Forest ACCN
16-Sep at UNLV CBSS
23-Sep vs. Kentucky SECN
30-Sep vs. Missouri SECN
7-Oct at Florida
14-Oct vs. Georgia
28-Oct at Ole Miss
4-Nov vs. Auburn
11-Nov at South Carolina
25-Nov at Tennessee

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RATINGS

Rating Kentucky Vanderbilt
ESPN FPI 40 93
Sagarin 35 95
Massey Composite 35 93
PiRate Ratings 31 86

KEY STATS

Statistic Team National
Rank
Conference
Rank
Value
3rd Down Conversion Pct Kentucky
Vanderbilt
27
37
3
5
0.500
0.474
3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense Vanderbilt
Kentucky
110
112
13
14
0.469
0.477
4th Down Conversion Pct Vanderbilt
Kentucky
109
120
11
14
0.300
0.000
4th Down Conversion Pct Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
24
117
3
14
0.333
0.800
Blocked Kicks Vanderbilt
Kentucky
1
11
1
3
2
1
Blocked Kicks Allowed Vanderbilt
Kentucky
1
101
1
11
0
1
Blocked Punts Vanderbilt 1 1 2
Blocked Punts Allowed Vanderbilt
Kentucky
1
118
1
14
0
1
Completion Percentage Kentucky
Vanderbilt
74
93
11
13
0.604
0.584
Defensive TDs Kentucky
Vanderbilt
13
13
2
2
1
1
Fewest Penalties Vanderbilt
Kentucky
63
95
7
10
18
22
Fewest Penalties Per Game Vanderbilt
Kentucky
26
100
2
10
4.50
7.33
Fewest Penalty Yards Vanderbilt
Kentucky
79
82
9
10
164
166
Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game Vanderbilt
Kentucky
33
83
3
10
41.00
55.33
First Downs Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
31
125
6
14
49
83
First Downs Offense Vanderbilt
Kentucky
11
95
2
13
83
56
Fumbles Lost Kentucky
Vanderbilt
66
123
11
13
2
4
Fumbles Recovered Kentucky
Vanderbilt
4
70
1
7
4
1
Kickoff Return Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
54
86
6
11
17.67
21.33
Kickoff Returns Kentucky
Vanderbilt
8
32
1
6
33.40
24.25
Net Punting Vanderbilt
Kentucky
3
70
1
10
46.70
39.00
Passes Had Intercepted Kentucky
Vanderbilt
70
99
12
14
3
4
Passes Intercepted Vanderbilt
Kentucky
11
99
2
10
5
1
Passing Offense Vanderbilt
Kentucky
28
31
6
7
288.8
285.0
Passing Yards Allowed Kentucky
Vanderbilt
66
93
9
12
210.7
241.5
Passing Yards per Completion Kentucky
Vanderbilt
18
21
2
3
14.74
14.44
Punt Return Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
30
106
5
12
1.50
12.00
Punt Returns Kentucky
Vanderbilt
27
34
6
7
13.40
11.00
Red Zone Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
19
65
2
6
0.667
0.812
Red Zone Offense Vanderbilt
Kentucky
89
116
13
14
0.778
0.667
Rushing Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
13
87
2
14
71.0
147.5
Rushing Offense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
101
108
12
13
122.0
111.5
Sacks Allowed Kentucky
Vanderbilt
20
77
1
8
1.00
2.25
Scoring Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
12
98
2
14
11.3
29.2
Scoring Offense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
41
44
7
8
35.7
34.8
Tackles for Loss Allowed Kentucky
Vanderbilt
38
94
3
11
4.33
6.50
Team Passing Efficiency Kentucky
Vanderbilt
40
46
7
9
156.48
152.28
Team Passing Efficiency Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
59
84
7
11
127.69
134.28
Team Sacks Kentucky
Vanderbilt
16
63
3
8
3.33
2.25
Team Tackles for Loss Kentucky
Vanderbilt
35
46
5
6
6.7
6.5
Time of Possession Vanderbilt
Kentucky
98
117
9
12
28:11
26:26
Total Defense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
26
97
5
12
281.7
389.0
Total Offense Kentucky
Vanderbilt
57
64
9
10
407.0
400.2
Turnover Margin Kentucky
Vanderbilt
58
102
7
14
0.00
-0.50
Turnovers Gained Vanderbilt
Kentucky
25
47
3
6
6
5
Turnovers Lost Kentucky
Vanderbilt
77
119
12
14
5
8
Winning Percentage Kentucky
Vanderbilt
1
78
1
13
1.000
0.500

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kentucky

QB Devin Leary, RB Ray Davis, WR Barion Brown, OL Kenneth Horsey, DT Deone Walker, DE JJ Weaver, LB Trevin Wallace, S Jordan Lovett, K Chance Poore, P Wilson Berry.

Vanderbilt

QB AJ Swann, RB Chase Gillespie, WR Will Sheppard, OL Julian Hernandez, WR Quincy Skinner Jr., DL Darren Agu, LB Ethan Barr, S De’Rickey Wright, CB BJ Anderson, P Matthew Hayball, LS Wesley Schelling.

INJURIES

Kentucky


Player POS Status
J. Kattus TE Ques Sat – Undisclosed
J. Wilcox RB Ques Sat – Hamstring
L. Wright RB Ques Sat – Undisclosed
K. Horsey OL Out indefinitely – Leg
N. Hall OL out for season – Undisclosed
B. Christman OL out for season – Undisclosed

Vanderbilt


Player POS Status
J. Palmer TE Ques Sat – Back
S. Riley S Ques Sat – Undisclosed
C. Spence TE out for season – Knee

Source: Covers.com

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Football Series History

Kentucky leads 48-43-4

COMMENTS

Vandy started the season 2-0 and has gone 0-2 since. The Commodores have little, if any running game. Part of the reason for that is their top runner from 2022 is now a Kentucky Wildcat. Vanderbilt’s offense has regressed from 2022. They had four turnovers in a loss at UNLV on Saturday. That was a must win. Kentucky wins by double digits.

PREDICTIONS

14Powers Preseason Prediction

Kentucky 31, Vanderbilt 27

14Powers.com Gameweek Prediction

Kentucky 38, Vanderbilt 17

Saturday‘s game kicks off at 9:00 AM ET. Watch this SEC football game on the Network.

About 14Powers.com 4554 Articles
14Powers.com: Serving SEC Football, Basketball and Baseball fans since 2016.