LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Vanderbilt Commodores secured a hard-fought 20-13 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, marking their second consecutive win in the Southeastern Conference. Quarterback Diego Pavia threw for a pair of touchdowns and Brock Taylor contributed with two impressive field goals, helping Vanderbilt once again demonstrate their potential after last week’s monumental triumph over Alabama.
The Commodores (4-2, 2-1) maintained the lead throughout the game, continuing the momentum from their historic 40-35 win against the top-ranked Crimson Tide. This victory also signifies the first instance of back-to-back SEC wins for Vanderbilt since their victories over Kentucky and Florida two years ago. Pavia connected with AJ Newberry for a 20-yard touchdown pass during their opening drive and later added an 18-yard touchdown pass to Richie Hoskins just before halftime, solidifying their lead.
Brock Taylor energized the offense with field goals of 49 and 50 yards, contributing to a scoring streak where Vanderbilt found the end zone on four successive drives over the middle of the game. A peculiar moment occurred in the third quarter when Kentucky’s holder Wilson Berry fumbled a field goal snap, attempted to throw a pass, and resulted in an interception by De’Rickey Wright, who returned it to the 1-yard line.
The Wildcats (3-3, 1-3) narrowed the gap with Brock Vandagriff’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Dane Key, but were unable to capitalize on further opportunities. Berry fumbled while trying to score and was tackled, reflecting a series of unfortunate mistakes that plagued Kentucky throughout the contest. The Wildcats also faced significant setbacks as they were penalized 12 times for a total of 106 yards, failing to build on their previous victory over then-No. 6 Mississippi.
Pavia’s performance was noteworthy, completing 15 of 18 passes for 143 yards, along with the two touchdowns and one interception. Additionally, he contributed on the ground, rushing for 53 yards on 14 carries. In contrast, Vandagriff managed 158 yards on 15-of-25 passing attempts.
Vanderbilt’s edge rusher Miles Capers suffered an injury during the second quarter while attempting a tackle, which led to him being taken to a hospital for evaluation. Thankfully, he returned to the sidelines in the second half dressed in sweats, providing the team with some relief.
In terms of overall performance, Vanderbilt may have been outgained 322 to 288 yards, yet they maintained a steady grip on the game thanks to Pavia’s decisive throws and movement. While his performance was not as emphatic as his previous outing against Alabama, it proved sufficient to secure the necessary points at critical times.
Conversely, Kentucky came off their bye hoping to enhance their season with another big win, but their performance was marred by mistakes and penalties that stifled their momentum. Each fumble and penalty seemed to build upon their frustrations, leading to a challenging outing.
Looking ahead, Vanderbilt will play at home against Ball State in their next non-conference matchup, while Kentucky is set to face off against Florida in another SEC clash this coming Saturday.