RV/RV Kentucky (3-0, 0-0 SEC) at Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 23 • 11 a.m. CT
FirstBank Stadium • Nashville, Tenn. • SEC Network
• Vanderbilt returns to Nashville after back-to-back games on the road to being the SEC portion of the 2023 schedule, hosting Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
• The Commodores and Wildcats will be meeting for the 96th time since 1896. Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky 24-21 in Lexington last season to snap a six-game skid in the series. Will Sheppard caught the game-winning touchdown with 32 seconds left. The win ended Vandy’s 26-game losing streak in conference contests.
• The Commodores fell 40-37 to UNLV on a last-minute field goal Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Vanderbilt trailed 30-17 in the fourth quarter and rallied to tie it at 30 before both teams traded touchdowns in the final 2:23. The Rebels kicked the game-winner with five seconds remaining.
• Sophomore slinger AJ Swann has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 1,062 yards this season to lead the SEC and rank fourth among FBS quarterbacks in both categories. After making his 10th collegiate start at UNLV last Saturday, Swann has now thrown for three or more touchdowns four times. Swann is averaging 13.97 yards per completion, third-most in the SEC.
• Will Sheppard moved into sixth in program history with his 18th and 19th career touchdown receptions Sept. 9 at Wake Forest. His six touchdowns this season is tied for most in FBS. His 36 points this season lead the Power 5.
• Freshman wide receiver London Humphreys, who was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after the Wake Forest game, had his second-straight 100-yard performance at UNLV, as he caught three passes for 102 yards and a TD. Humphreys is first in the SEC and second nationally among freshmen in total receiving yards this season.
• Will Sheppard caught multiple touchdowns in Vanderbilt’s first three games of the season. He is the first Vanderbilt player since at least 1996 to record three consecutive games with two or more touchdown receptions. He is the fifth player in the SEC to record three straight games with multiple touchdown receptions in the same season since 2019, joining Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee), DeVonta Smith (Alabama), Terrace Marshall Jr. (LSU) and Ja’Marr Chase (LSU). Across all of FBS, Sheppard is the ninth player to record three straight games with multiple touchdown receptions in the same season.
• Vanderbilt’s offense surpassed the 420-yard mark for the third consecutive game Saturday at UNLV, finishing with 427 yards. Its the first time since at least 1996 that Vanderbilt has surpassed 420 yards in three consecutive games.
