The two winning teams will meet Saturday night in Lexington, Ky., when Kentucky hosts Vanderbilt in the Southeast Championship.
Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) posted the biggest win in program history last Saturday, shocking then-No. 1 Alabama 40-35.
Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia was 16-of-20 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 56 yards. Vanderbilt did not turn the ball over and held it for just over 42 minutes.
Kentucky (3-2, 1-2) stunned sixth-ranked Ole Miss 20-17 in Oxford, Miss., in its most recent game on Sept. 28.
Quarterback Brock Vandagriff (243 yards, one touchdown) had his best game in his first season with the Wildcats, and the defense held the Rebels to 353 yards.
Both groups also felt the disappointment.
For Vanderbilt, that came in a 36-32 loss at Georgia State on Sept. 14.
“We have to limit our ability, look twice at what we do regardless of who we are playing because everyone is going to play hard no matter what kind of game,” said Commodores running back Sedrick Alexander.
Kentucky has come a long way since a 31-6 loss in its conference opener at South Carolina on Sept. 7, and Wildcats coach Mark Stoops admitted this week to reporters that Vanderbilt has too. The Commodores haven’t had a winning season since 2013.
“When I go into this press conference, I don’t have to sell Vanderbilt and tell you how good it is, how well (coach) Clark Lea did,” Stoops said, referring to the Commodores’ big win.
Vanderbilt’s offense against the Wildcats’ defense will be the matchup everyone wants to see.
Kentucky has allowed an average of just 13.4 points per contest, ranking 11th nationally.
The Wildcats feature standouts across the field, including 6-foot-6, 345-pound defensive tackle Deone Walker, experienced tight ends in D’Eryk Jackson (team-best 26 tackles) and JJ Weaver ( three sacks), and a linebacker. Maxwell Hairston, who had pick-6s against the Commodores last season.
Alabama never solved Vanderbilt’s passing game last week and had trouble shoveling passes to tight end Eli Stowers (25 catches, 333 yards), who also has a touchdown this season.
Kentucky receivers Dane Key, Barion Brown and Ja’Mori Maclin could cause problems against a defense that struggles with athleticism.
However, the Wildcats allowed 15 sacks and threw four interceptions, which could be a problem against a defense that forced two turnovers (one, a Randon Fontenette pick-6) vs. Alabama.
–Field Level Media
Source link