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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jay Cutler threw four touchdown passes, two to Erik Davis, to help Vanderbilt snap the nation’s longest conference losing streak at 23 with a 28-17 victory over Kentucky on Saturday.
Vanderbilt’s last Southeastern Conference win came against Kentucky (4-6, 1-5), 24-20 in 2000, and it was the Commodores’ first SEC home win since 1998, when they beat South Carolina 17-14.
Kentucky (4-6, 1-5) led 3-0 before the Commodores (2-9, 1-6) scored 21 straight points to take control of the game. Vandy, which came into the game with a minus-13 turnover margin, only fumbled once and didn’t lose the ball.
The Commodores also sacked Jared Lorenzen four times, and he was 15-of-35 for 234 yards passing. He threw a 10-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds to Chris Bernard.
Cutler, who finished 14-of-17 for 175 yards passing, expanded the lead as he led Vanderbilt on touchdown drives on the first two possessions of the third quarter. The first was a 43-yard TD pass to Marlon White, who was wide open after splitting Kentucky’s secondary to make it 21-3.
On Kentucky’s ensuing possession, the Wildcats ran the ball all 10 plays for 72 yards, capped by Arliss Beach from 4 yards out to make it 21-10. Beach finished with 18 carries for 109 yards.
But Cutler, who also had 129 yards rushing on 11 carries, led Vanderbilt right back down the field, starting with a 51-yard run and ending four plays later when he found Davis in double coverage for a 10-yard touchdown pass that put Vandy up 28-10.
Kentucky led 3-0 when Taylor Begley kicked a 36-yard field goal late in the first.
Vandy took the lead for good when Cutler found Davis who eluded a pair of tacklers and stretched across the goal for a 24-yard TD. Davis finished with three catches for 39 yards.
The Commodores used a personal-foul penalty on a punt return for excellent field position, and Cutler found Matthew Tant for a 17-yard TD pass to make it 14-3.
The Wildcats tried to cut into lead before halftime, but safety Kelechi Ohanaja intercepted a Lorenzen pass at the Vanderbilt 13.
Kentucky return specialist Derek Abney had 110 total return yards on six chances. Abney did extend his consecutive catch streak to 43 games with a 24-yard reception in the first quarter that set up Kentucky’s field goal.
