Vanderbilt 21, Kentucky 17: The Defense Carries The Day

Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles (14) is brought down by Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, November 14, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn.

In the second quarter, Kentucky got into the end zone when redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Barker, in for starter Patrick Towles, connected with Ryan Timmons on a seven-yard pass to make it 10-7 Kentucky.

Vanderbilt earned its third straight home win Saturday, beating Kentucky 21-17.

“The defense did outstanding, in my opinion”, Johnson said. The Commodores have been outscored 89-57 in their five league games in 2015 – an average score of 18-11.

Practice makes ideal: Coach Derek Mason said he was relieved that safety Oren Burks’ 30-yard interception return came on a play he had performed well in practice but not in a game.

Presently the Kentucky Wildcats have a record of 4-4, and have published a corresponding slate of 2-6 against the spread.

The Redbirds have a 6-1 record against SEC teams, with the most recent win occurring March 24, 2014, against Texas A&M. “I just had faith in the call and I just got down, and no one was covering me so I knew the ball was going to be there”.

The Wildcats welcome the return of running back Boom Williams, who sat out last week’s game at Georgia because of an elbow injury. Next week’s game against Charlotte, the worst team in the FBS, looks to be a victory, but the last game is against in-state rival Louisville.

Shurmur displayed strong composure en route to 166 passing yards and two touchdowns in the game. You could just imagine what the locker room is like. The Commodores are now favored to win at home, which would leave Stoops with just two games to end Kentucky’s bowl drought. Scott had jogged to the Vanderbilt sideline after a timeout and squatted down.

Burks struck again when he intercepted Barker’s pass and returned it 30 yards for a TD, giving the Commodores a 14-10 lead with 5:10 left in the half. No one from the Wildcats secondary picked him up. “People are upset. Ready to get back on the road”. The former Wisconsin offensive coordinator used it earlier in his career.

Kentucky running back, Jojo Kemp, punched the ball across the goal line from two yards out, with 1:06 left in the third quarter, to draw the boys in blue closer to the Dores who led 21-17.

The Wildcats had a chance to trail by just one point, but MacGinnis’ 37-yard field goal attempt, with 10:21 to play in the game, went wide left.

Another fumble, this time by Darrius Sims, gave the Wildcats another scoring opportunity deep inside Commodore territory in the second quarter. The Cats got on the board first in the game, as Austin MacGinnis hit a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Twice, the Wildcats had the ball at the 3-yard line or closer on first down and couldn’t score. “Whenever we line up, I have no doubt in my mind that we’re going to stop whoever we’re lined up against, so when they made it down there that didn’t stop me a bit”.