How Kentucky and Vanderbilt match up — with a game prediction
How the Kentucky Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 SEC) and Vanderbilt Commodores (3-6, 0-5 SEC) match up at each position — with a game prediction:
Quarterbacks
▪ In spite of taking another physical pounding (sacked five times) in Kentucky’s 21-17 win at Missouri last week, UK redshirt senior Will Levis (1,903 yards passing on a 68.1% completion rate with 16 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions) threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns against a good Mizzou defense. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound product of Madison, Conn., now has a 16-5 record as Kentucky’s starting QB. In last season’s 34-17 Wildcats victory at Vanderbilt, Levis completed 14 of 22 passes for 177 yards with two TDs and one pick.
▪ Vanderbilt Coach Clark Lea said Tuesday that true freshman AJ Swann will be sidelined this week by an undisclosed injury. That means, for this week, that junior Mike Wright will reclaim the starting position that he lost after this season’s first three games. A 6-4, 195-pound product of Fayetteville, Ga., Wright is a dual threat who has run for 328 yards and four TDs this season while averaging a robust 7.5 yards a carry. As a passer, Wright has completed a so-so 58.3 percent of his throws for 654 yards with eight touchdowns vs. two interceptions. Wright replaced Ken Seals in last season’s loss to UK and completed seven of 11 passes for 58 yards and two TDs while also running for 20 yards on seven attempts. Seals, a 6-3, 225-pound junior, is Vandy’s No. 2 QB this week. He started vs. Kentucky at Kroger Field as a freshman in 2020 and threw for 225 yards and two TDs in a 38-35 loss.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Running backs
▪ In three prior games vs. Vanderbilt, Kentucky redshirt senior Christopher Rodriguez (571 rushing yards, four TDs, 4.9 yards a carry) has tormented the Commodores. The 5-11, 224-pound product of McDonough, Ga., has run for 492 yards and five touchdowns, combined, in his career vs. Vandy. “C-Rod” ran tough in last week’s win at Mizzou, gaining 112 yards on 29 carries against a stout defensive front. With 3,311 career rushing yards, Rodriguez needs 23 more to pass Moe Williams (3,333) for third on the all-time UK rushing list. After missing last week’s game at Missouri due to injury, junior JuTahn McClain (121 yards rushing on 30 carries; nine catches for 85 yards and a TD) is back on the Kentucky depth chart this week at No. 2.
▪ With 731 yards rushing, Vanderbilt’s Ray Davis is fifth in the SEC. A transfer from Temple, the 5-9, 205-pound senior has run for four TDs and is averaging 4.7 yards a carry. A threat in the passing game as well, Davis has 22 catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Davis carried 20 times for 167 yards in last week’s 38-27 loss to South Carolina. Backup Patrick Smith carried 13 times for 29 yards vs. the Gamecocks. Last season against UK, Smith ran for 84 yards on 17 carries.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Wide receivers
▪ Kentucky true freshman Dane Key (25 catches 383 yards, five touchdowns) was one of the stars of the victory at Missouri. The Frederick Douglass High School alumnus had the first multi-TD game of his college career, including the game-winning score on a 22-yard pass in which Key broke a tackle to score. With five TD receptions, the 6-3, 194-pound Key has set a UK freshman season mark. Another true freshman, Barion Brown caught four passes for 54 yards at Mizzou. The Nashville product is now tied for the UK team lead with 30 catches, which have produced 416 yards and two TDs. Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson also has 30 catches for 421 yards and three TDs. However, the 5-11, 187-pound senior has only 11 catches vs. SEC opponents.
▪ Vanderbilt’s Will Sheppard is second in the SEC in receptions (47), fourth in receiving yards (620) and tied for second in receiving TDs (eight). The 6-3, 200-pound product of Mandeville, La., had six catches for 79 yards in the loss to South Carolina. At 5-8, 177 pounds, Jayden McGowan is producing a big freshman season (38 catches, 411 yards, two TDs). Sophomore Quincy Skinner (13, 171, two) had a big game vs. South Carolina with four catches for 79 yards and two scores.
Advantage: Vanderbilt.
Tight ends
▪ Kentucky redshirt freshman Jordan Dingle (17 catches, 188 yards, three TDs) caught three passes for 35 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown catch, in the win at Missouri. The 6-4, 235-pound redshirt freshman has now caught a TD pass in three of UK’s past five games. Praised this season for his blocking, true freshman Josh Kattus made his first career reception last week at Missouri for a 10-yard gain.
▪ Vanderbilt super-senior Ben Bresnahan has 12 catches for 127 yards this season. In last season’s loss to UK, the 6-4, 243-pound Bresnahan had one catch for 11 yards. Another super-senior, Gavin Schoenwald has seven catches for 85 yards and two TDs.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Offensive linemen
▪ As the Kentucky offensive front was surrendering five sacks Saturday at Missouri, UK Coach Mark Stoops said that highly touted true freshman tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin almost received his first significant playing time of the season. Asked why UK has burned the 6-8, 351-pound Goodwin’s redshirt season playing mostly as a protector on place-kicks, Stoops said, “We just felt like there would be a time when he would be ready to play. So, we want to continue to get him (ready). We were moments from putting him in there Saturday.”
▪ Vanderbilt will be without starting right guard Bradley Ashmore, who has undergone season-ending surgery. Center/guard Delfin Xavier Castillo is also expected to miss the Kentucky game due to injury. Redshirt freshman Gunnar Hansen has assumed the starting left tackle position and is a capable pass blocker.
Advantage: Vanderbilt.
Defensive linemen
▪ Kentucky tackle Deone Walker (23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two QB hurries) continued his remarkable freshman season in the win at Mizzou. The 6-6, 330-pound Detroit product had three tackles and shared a tackle for loss with teammate Octavious Oxendine. Walker has been named one of 14 semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, which goes to the player considered college football’s top frosh.
▪ At 6-4, 275 pounds, Vanderbilt’s Christian James is more active as a playmaker than are many nose tackles. The senior from Memphis has 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a QB hurry.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Linebackers
▪ Filling in for the injured DeAndre Square at WLB last week, Kentucky sophomore Trevin Wallace had a stellar showing at Missouri. The 6-2, 244-pound product of Jesup, Ga., made a team-high nine tackles with 2.5 TFL and a sack. “A heck of a football player,” Mark Stoops said Monday of Wallace. The UK coach said he is hopeful Square, a super-senior and UK’s leading tackler on the season (55), will be able to play this week. With starting MLB Jacquez Jones sidelined by injury, junior MLB D’Eryk Jackson (44 tackles, 3.5 TFL, two pass breakups) has performed well.
▪ Vanderbilt WLB Anfernee Orji leads the SEC in tackles (91) and leads the Commodores in tackles for loss (7.5). The 6-2, 230-pound senior has also forced three fumbles, hurried the QB three times and picked off a pass. Although junior Ethan Barr (28 tackles, two TFL) is listed No. 1 at MLB, it is Clemson transfer Kane Patterson (29 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, two QB hurries) who has been more disruptive from that position.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive backs
▪ After breaking up two passes in UK’s loss at Tennessee two weeks ago, Kentucky sophomore cornerback/nickelback Andru Phillips came back with another stout game at Mizzou. Phillips, a 6-foot, 190-pound product of Mauldin, S.C., had six tackles and a pass breakup at Missouri. “I think he’s gaining some confidence in playing good at ... the nickel spot,” Mark Stoops says. “I’m very impressed.”
▪ Vanderbilt is last in the SEC in pass defense, giving up 314 yards a game. Safety De’Rickey Wright has displayed a nose for the ball (42 tackles, three interceptions, six pass breakups). Nickelback Jaylen Mahoney plays downhill (46 tackles, 6.5 TFL, one sack, two pass breakups).
Advantage: Kentucky.
Special teams
▪ An amazing play after a bad snap by Kentucky punter Colin Goodfellow saved the Wildcats’ win at Missouri. However, Goodfellow suffered a season-ending leg injury on the play. That means that Australian Wilson Berry, who began last year as the UK starting punter (averaged 37 yards on four kicks) until sidelined by a back injury, will re-assume the No. 1 position. Place-kicker Matt Ruffolo missed twice on field-goal tries last week and is now 9-of-15 on the season. True freshman Barion Brown is such a threat as a kickoff returner (34.3 yards a return) teams have begun to consistently squib kick.
▪ A transfer from Florida Atlantic, Vanderbilt’s Matt Hayball leads the SEC in punting (46.5 yards) and has stopped 14 of 43 kicks inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. A transfer from Alabama, super-senior place-kicker Joseph Bulovas is 5-of-9 on field-goal tries this season and 41-of-57 in his career.
Advantage: Vanderbilt.
Prediction
Kentucky 28, Vanderbilt 19.
