LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) – That is how you kill a buzz. The University of Kentucky and its athletic program have been riding high. Football was coming off an upset of No. 5 Ole Miss on the road. Big Blue Madness rekindled some of the affection and lore of Kentucky basketball, christening the era of Mark Pope and even welcoming Rick Pitino back into the fold.
Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops attended the basketball preseason event for the first time in a dozen years and even was invited to speak. You can do the math on that one.
Pope and Pitino were on the sidelines at Kroger Field for Kentucky’s game against Vanderbilt Saturday night, and a charged crowd was ready to keep the good vibes going.
Instead, boos cascaded down from the stands several times during a 20-13 Kentucky loss, and the seats started to empty out considerably with just under nine minutes to play.
Conventional wisdom was that Kentucky would make the most of a bye week after going in on a high, and that Vanderbilt would crash down to earth after an upset of Alabama that captured the attention of the college football world.
Vanderbilt showed no hangover. It did what it does. It got a lead, driving 97 yards on its first series to go up 7-0, then it ran the ball, ate up the clock, and played solid defense to win its second straight game in Kroger Field.
Vanderbilt receiver Richie Hoskins celebrates a touchdown just before halftime in Vandy's 20-13 win over Kentucky in Kroger Field.
Kentucky, unfortunately, also did what it does from time to time. It had some needless penalties (12 for 106 yards). It turned the ball over – fumbling once while driving in Vanderbilt territory, and throwing an interception after a botched hold on a field goal try. Two of those snap-hold issues cost Kentucky four points, in a game where it could ill afford to lose them.
A late first-half letdown also hurt Kentucky. After the teams had battled to a 7-7 tie, Vanderbilt got the ball with 1:35 before halftime, and beginning at its own 40 yard line, drove to a go-ahead touchdown just before the half.
The first boos rang out when Kentucky took the ensuing kickoff with 13 seconds left, then took a knee.
Vandy got the ball back to open the second half, and put together an 11-play, 41-yard drive to a field goal. But the drive ate up 7:09. Vandy’s second drive of the half ate up 8:03, and culiminated with another field goal to put the Commodores up 13.
Kentucky answered with a crisp, 6 play, 75 yard drive and a 22-yard TD catch by Dane Key from Brock Vandagriff pulled Kentucky within a touchdown and an extra point after the extra point was botched.
And Kentucky had new life. A 14-yard sack of Pavia by D’Eryk Jackson on third down forced a Vanderbilt punt, and Barion Brown returned it to near midfield. But a block in the back call moved it back, and Kentucky took over at its own 20 with 2:26 left.
Then Vandagriff went to work. He rushed up the middle for nine yards, then scrambled and found Brown for a toe-tap sideline catch and 23 more yards. But set up at the Vandy 48 just before the 2-minute timeout, Kentucky committed a holding penalty, then Vandagriff was sacked for a two-yard loss, forcing another timeout. On second and 24, he scrambled and tried to thread a pass to Fred Farrier, but it was broken up. Another holding call on third and long made it third and longer. Vandagriff hit Brown for 11 yards on third and 32, then on fourth and 21 threw incomplete when wideout Ja'Mori Maclin fell down on the route.
And that was that. A Kentucky team that took Georgia to the brink, then upset Ole Miss, has SEC losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt -- two programs it needs to surpass if it wants any hope of climbing in the Southeastern Conference.
On the other side, Vandy coach Clark Lea has only two SEC road wins in his fourth season. Both are in Lexington.
Kentucky fell to 3-3 overall, 1-3 in the SEC. Vandagriff completed 15 of 25 passes for 158 yards and the Wildcats carried 31 times for 164 yards. Vanderbilt ran for 145 yards and passed for 143. Pavia completed 15 of 18 passes and threw for two touchdowns and an interception.
The Wildcats outgunned Vanderbilt 322 to 288, but Vandy held a nine-minute time of possession advantage, limiting Kentucky's offensive opportunities.
Next up for Kentucky is a trip to Florida, where it will face the Gators at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday.
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