POSTGAME NOTES
Vanderbilt Commodores vs. No. 12/12 Kentucky Wildcats | Lexington, Ky. | Oct. 24, 2026
Kentucky 34, Vanderbilt 17
TEAM NOTES
- Vanderbilt’s four captains – Issa Ouattara, Nick Rinaldi, Cole Spence and Makhilyn Young – represented the Dores for the coin toss
- Kentucky won the toss and elected to defer
- The Commodore defense has forced a three-and-out from the opposing offense on the opening drive in three straight contests
- Edwin Kolenge’s first-quarter sack marked the seventh game this season that Vanderbilt has recorded a sack
- Vanderbilt's opening possession in the third quarter, a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive, was the first time this season Kentucky gave up points on the initial drive after halftime
PLAYER NOTES
- Junior Sherrill moved to No. 7 on Vanderbilt's all-time receptions list, tying his career-high for catches in a game with eight
- The senior wideout now owns 152 career receptions
- Sherrill made it 45 straight games with a catch, which remains the longest active streak in the FBS and the longest for a Dore since at least 1996
- He also holds a streak of nine consecutive games with at least four receptions, tied for the longest stretch in the SEC
- Jared Curtis moved into second on Vanderbilt's all-time freshman passing yards list, now sitting at 1,489 passing yards
- He posted his fifth straight game with at least 175 passing yards, tying Jordan Rodgers (2011) for the longest stretch by a Vanderbilt quarterback in his first year since 1996
- The freshman has four games with 200 passing yards or more, moving him to No. 2 in program history for the most in a debut season
- Jayvontay Conner hauled in his first touchdown as a Commodore on a 3-yard reception from Curtis in the second quarter
- Ja'Cory Thomas caught his second touchdown of the season while collecting at least three receptions for a third straight contest
- Sedrick Alexander has snagged three receptions in back-to-back games for the first time in his career
- Cole Spence produced his third multi-reception game of the season
- Evan Hampton and Claiborne Richards each registered their first career receptions
- Bryce Cowan set a new career-high in tackles, notching 12 against the Wildcats, while Nick Rinaldi also posted double-digit tackles with 10
- The pair are the second and third defenders to reach double-digit tackles in a game for the Commodores this season
- Davin Chandler, CJ Heard, Mason Lewis and Rinaldi generated a pass breakup
- Heard's six passes defended this season leads the Dores
- Martel Hight's 45-yard punt return in the first quarter was the longest for the Dores this year, and Hight's longest since a 57-yard return in 2024 against Alcorn State
- He now sits at 474 career punt return yards, reaching No. 6 on Vanderbilt's all-time punt return yards list
- Brock Taylor moved to 7-for-9 on field goal attempts this season with a 30-yard conversion in the first quarter