Wildcats Open Two-Game Road Swing at Vanderbilt
After a pair of home games, the Kentucky football team hits the road the next two weeks, beginning with a contest Saturday at Vanderbilt.
The Wildcats, who have played six games this season decided by a touchdown or less — winning four of the six — are coming off a three-point loss vs. Ole Miss when the Rebels scored the game-winning touchdown with just five seconds remaining.
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| Kentucky at Vanderbilt | ||
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| Sat., Nov. 4 – 4 p.m. ET Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, Tenn. Game Notes: UK  | VU Digital Gameday Program VU Stadium/Clear Bag Policy Gameday App |
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| Coverage | ||
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TV: SEC Network |
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| UK | 2017 Team Stats | VU |
| 6-3 | 2017 Record | 4-5 |
| 3-3 | Conference Record | 0-5 |
| 26.1 | Scoring/game | 23.9 |
| 353.7 | Total offense/game | 323.7 |
| 161.4 | Rushing yards/game | 103.2 |
| 192.2 | Passing yards/game | 220.4 |
| 21.3 | Kickoff returns (avg) | 22.3 |
| 20.8 | Punt returns (avg) | 8.4 |
| 42.8 | Punting (avg) | 38.9 |
| 30:44 | Time of possession/game | 28:01 |
| 41.6% | Third down conversion | 39.5% |
| 60.0% | Fourth down conversion | 45.5% |
| 26.2 | Points allowed/game | 29.2 |
| 408.2 | Total yards allowed/game | 402.9 |
| 128.8 | Rush yards allowed/game | 211.6 |
| 279.4 | Pass yards allowed/game | 191.3 |
Kentucky hopes to bounce back against Vanderbilt in a series that has been won by the home team in each of the past four seasons. UK has been led by running back Benny Snell, who has totaled 356 rushing yards and six touchdowns over the last two games. VU has its own outstanding running back in Ralph Webb, who is nearing 4,000 career yards and is one of the top 10 rushers in Southeastern Conference history.
Kickoff will be at 4 p.m. ET at Vanderbilt Stadium (3 p.m. CT in Nashville) and the game will air on the SEC Network.
Cat Scratches: Cats Can’t Let Confidence Be Shaken Heading to Vandy
Before Kentucky ran its first play 95 yards from the end zone with 8:36 left against Ole Miss needing a touchdown to take the lead, the Wildcats huddled.
The offense’s leader, Stephen Johnson, had to have some kind of inspirational and steadying message for the big moment, right?
“I’m sure I said a few things,” Johnson said.
Charles Walker, the senior wide receiver, remembers a little more clearly. After all, Walker has heard Johnson deliver the message multiple times over the last 13 months.
“Just before these drives, he’s just saying, ‘Guys, we’ve done this before,’ ” Walker said. ” ‘We do it in practice every week. Calm down, do your job and the outcome is going to be good. That’s what we do and so far it’s been good offensively.”
Dating back to a win over Mississippi State last season, Johnson has guided four go-ahead scoring drives in the final minutes, including one last weekend in a loss to Ole Miss. UK has driven for another two late field goals that helped clinch wins over South Carolina and Missouri this season as well as a potential game-winning drive against Florida was short-circuited by a holding call…Read More
Scouting Vanderbilt
• Vanderbilt is currently 4-5 overall, 0-5 in the SEC. The Dores are ranked 6th in the SEC East.
• The Commodores’ most recent win was a 31-17 victory over Western Kentucky University.
• Head coach Derek Mason is in his fourth season with the Commodores. During his time at Vanderbilt, the program has been headed in the right direction both on and off the field.
• In 2016, Mason’s Vanderbilt program improved its overall record and SEC record for the third consecutive season. Last season, the Commodores earned a trip to the Camping World Independence Bowl, which was the program’s first postseason appearance under Mason.
• Senior running back Ralph Webb and junior quarterback Kyle Shurmur lead Vanderbilt’s offense.
• Most recently against Western Kentucky, Webb scored his eighth rushing touchdown of the year. With that touchdown, he broke Zac Stacy’s all-time touchdown record and now has 31 for his career. Webb currently leads the Commodores in both rushing and scoring. Webb is also among the top-10 rushers in Southeastern Conference history.
• Kyle Shurmur had two touchdown passes against Western Kentucky, which brought his season total to 21 and matches Jay Cutler’s total from 2005. Shurmur is throwing for more than 200 yards per game.
• The Commodores’ defensive leaders include senior safety Ryan White and junior safety LaDarius Wiley.
• White is responsible for 50 total tackles this season, 34 of which are solo tackles. He also leads the team in interceptions with two.
• Wiley leads the team in tackles with 73 total tackles and 46 solo tackles. He has been responsible for one interception this season.
• Junior linebacker Charles Wright has been a pass rush force this season with eight quarterback sacks and nine total tackles for loss.
Series vs. Vanderbilt
• Kentucky leads the all-time series 43-42-4.
• Vanderbilt leads the series 27-19-2 in Nashville.
• UK is looking to snap a three-game losing skid to the Commodores in Nashville. The Cats’ last win at Vanderbilt Stadium came in 2009 (24-13).
• UK coach Mark Stoops is 2-2 vs. Vandy, but has won two of the past three meetings, including a 20-13 victory in Lexington last season.
• Throughout the series’ history – which dates back to 1896 – it has typically featured close outcomes. Thirty-six meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less in the series.
• Kentucky’s win at home last season jumpstarted the Cats run to a bowl game. The 20-13 win moved the Cats to 3-3 on the season at the time as they went on to win five of their final seven regular season games on the way to earning a berth in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
• UK rushed for 258 yards in that games with four players piling up at least 54 yards: Benny Snell Jr. (90), Stephen Johnson (55), Jojo Kemp (55), Boom Williams (54).
• The Cats did not allow an offensive touchdown in that game.
• In Mark Stoops’ four years as coach the Cats have held Vanderbilt to just 17.5 points per game.
A UK Win Would…
• Make the Cats 7-3 through the first 10 games of a season for the first time since the 2007 Music City Bowl team.
• UK would reach seven wins on Nov. 11, the third-earliest in school history, and the earliest since 2007 (Nov. 10).
• Give the Cats 14 wins in their past 20 regular season games.
• Be starting QB Stephen Johnson’s 14th win since taking over in 2016, 12th as a starter and two in a relief role.
• Make the Cats 4-3 in SEC play and give them eight league wins the past two seasons.
• It would clinch the first back-to-back .500 or better seasons in SEC play since 1998 (4-4) and 1999 (4-4).
• Be the Cats’ 21st win on the SEC Network since Mark Stoops took over as head coach (21-16).
Texas Roadhouse Countdown to Kickoff Show
The Countdown to Kickoff show will air starting two hours prior to kickoff. Freddie Maggard will serve as the analyst on the Texas Roadhouse Countdown to Kickoff alongside host Christi Thomas. For home games, the show will air live from in front of Nutter Field House outside gate 1 of Kroger Field with special guests and giveaways. The set of the show is conveniently located near the Coke Fan Zone in Nutter Field House and the Cat Walk presented by Chevy.
For the first time, the Texas Roadhouse Countdown to Kickoff will go on the road and broadcast live from select Kroger locations in Kentucky.
Nov. 11 (Vanderbilt) – 212 Kroger Way, Versailles
Nov. 18 (Georgia) – 3175 Beaumont Circle, Lexington
