NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt plays its final road game of 2022 when it makes the short trip to Lexington, Kentucky, this weekend to battle the Wildcats of Kentucky.
The Commodores (3-6, 0-5 SEC) desperately need a win to keep postseason bowl hopes alive and to avoid a sixth consecutive loss after a 3-1 start. Vandy dropped a 38-27 matchup with South Carolina last time out, a game it trailed 31-14 at halftime.
Kentucky became bowl-eligible via a victory at Missouri last Saturday. The Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 SEC) have won six in a row against Vanderbilt.
Here is more on how to watch, listen to and follow Saturday’s contest as well as five key matchups to consider when the Commodores face the Wildcats:
When: 11 a.m. CT Saturday
Location: Kroger Field (61,000)
Television: SEC Network
Broadcast Crew
Dave Neal (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (analyst) and Morgan Uber (sideline)
Channel Finder
AT&T | Xfinity | DISH | Comcast
Streaming
Available via WatchESPN
Vanderbilt Sports Network from Learfield
Announcers: Andrew Allegretta (play-by-play), Norman Jordan (analyst), Kevin Ingram (sideline)
On-Air Time: 10 a.m. CT
Affiliates: Nashville WQZQ 93.3 FM; Chattanooga WALV 95.3 FM; Lewisburg WJJM 1490 AM, 94.3 FM; Memphis WMPS 1210 AM, 103.1 FM
Satellite: SiriusXM 204; SiriusXM online 967
Social
Twitter: @VandyFootball and @VandyNotes
Instagram: @VandyFootball
Facebook: @VanderbiltFootball
Streaming Audio
Vanderbilt Athletics App (Free)
Weather
37 degrees at kickoff, 45 percent chance of rain and snow
1. Is This Record Broken?
It’s been a common theme in 2022—and not a positive one: The Commodores continue to struggle on offense when it comes to third down.
Vanderbilt ranks 105th nationally and 13th in the SEC by converting just 34.1 percent of its third-down tries. Six times this season the Commodores have been held to a less than 40 percent conversion rate and, last week against South Carolina, went just 3-for-10.
Vandy offensive coordinator Joey Lynch alluded to these numbers this week and recognized its an area his unit has to find an answer for over the final quarter of the season. But, as fate would have it, the Dores face one of the league’s top defensive units when it comes to getting off the field.
Kentucky is the SEC’s third-best squad on third down having allowed conversions only 30.3 percent of the time. That matchup doesn’t bode well for Vandy, so if ever there was a time to buck a trend, Saturday is it.
2. What Can Brown Do To You?
Vanderbilt fans, Vandy coaches, and maybe even some Commodores were well aware of Barion Brown before he ever played a college snap. Now everyone will get to see him up close Saturday.
A former five-star prospect, Brown played at Pearl-Cohn High School in Nashville before he enrolled at Kentucky for his freshman season this fall. Brown, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound wide receiver, does a little bit of everything for the Wildcats: he has 416 yards receiving and 343 yards on kickoff returns.
In his collegiate debut, Brown took a kickoff 100 yards for touchdown against Miami (Ohio).
Vanderbilt’s defense and special teams better find out where No. 2 is at all time Saturday.
3. Premium Points
If there is a knock against Kentucky in 2022 it is that the Wildcats have trouble putting points on the board. But when you have a defense like the one head coach Mark Stoops has crafted, you don’t need to get into shootouts.
Kentucky is among the SEC’s top-three teams in first downs allowed, passing yards allowed, scoring defense and total defense. The Wildcats haven’t allowed more than 24 points in any game this season and have only surrendered more than 20 three times.
Vandy, which already has 11 more touchdowns and 51 more points than it did all of 2021, most do a masterful job of finding ways to score Saturday … because points will be at a premium.
4. TikTok
No, not the social media phenomenon, the facet of offensive football that can help us get a better read on how things may play out Saturday.
Only six teams in the nation have a better time of possession average than Kentucky’s 34:07 per game. The Wildcats will constrict opponents with their ability to methodically drive the field while chomping up time and yards.
It will be crucial for the Vanderbilt defense to get the Kentucky offense off the field.
5. Another Day, Another Elite Quarterback
There are no off weekends in the SEC when it comes to defending opposing quarterbacks. Vanderbilt has found that out in 2022 and will face yet another high-level signal caller Saturday.
Will Levis, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound transfer from Penn State, is considered to be the top professional prospect at his position ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Levis has thrown for 1,903 yards and 16 touchdowns this season and has thrown for more than 5,300 yards in his career.
Completing 68 percent of his throws, Vandy’s defense will be tested all 60 minutes Saturday against yet another top-level quarterback.
(6.) Ten Years Already?
Almost 10 years to the day Saturday, Vanderbilt played one of its more dominating games in its recent history.
Inside the formerly-known Commonweath Stadium in Lexington, the Commodores smoked Kentucky 40-0. Vandy put up 447 yards of offense, rushed for 227 yards, went 11-for-17 on third down and limited the Wildcats to just 267 yards of offense.
Jordan Rodgers went 18-for-29 for 220 yards and two scores while Jordan Matthews had five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Vandy also overcame two turnovers in the win.
Vanderbilt has only pitched two shutouts since, a 2017 win over Alabama A&M and a 2019 victory over East Tennessee State. It was the Commodores’ first shutout of the Wildcats since 1968.
Vandy has only beaten Kentucky twice since out of nine tries. But all nine of those games have been decided by an average of 12.3 points.
The 2012 season was the first of back-to-back 2-10 campaigns for the Wildcats, but Kentucky has won at least five games every season since and a victory Saturday would clinch a sixth winning season since 2016. Vanderbilt has had just one winning season since (2013).
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.
