Wildcats command the Commodores, improve to 4-0
The University of Kentucky Wildcats football team (4-0, 1-0 SEC), beat the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-3, 0-1 SEC) 45-28 Saturday afternoon inside FirstBank Stadium.
NASHVILLE, Tn. (WKYT) - The University of Kentucky Wildcats football team (4-0, 1-0 SEC), beat the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-3, 0-1 SEC) 45-28 Saturday afternoon inside FirstBank Stadium.
The Cats wasted no time- on their opening drive, senior running back JuTahn McClain scored on a 36-yard rush to go up 7-0. Less than two minutes later, sophomore defensive back Maxwell Hairston picked off Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann, returning it 29 yards for another touchdown to give UK a 14-0 lead. Former Commodore, running back Ray Davis found his way back into the end zone in Nashville on a two-yard rush to give the Cats a 21-0 advantage after a quarter.
There was less scoring in the second quarter, but Kentucky managed to avoid a 0 on the box score thanks to a 27-yard field goal from senior Alex Raynor. The mental mistakes that Head Coach Mark Stoops has emphasized every week of the season continued- Vandy answered with a FG of their own, and a touchdown from freshman running back Sedrick Alexander to make it 24-10 at halftime.
In the third quarter, an interception by senior inside linebacker D’Eryk Jackson, followed by a lateral pass to junior DB Andru Phillips gave the offense great position. Davis was able to punch in his second touchdown of the day on a one-yard rush to give the Wildcats a 31-13 advantage with three quarters in the books.
In the fourth, Lexington’s own, sophomore wide receiver Dane Key would get his first score of the season on a 22-yard reception from quarterback Devin Leary, though he would draw an unsportsmanlike penalty, that would give Kentucky a 38-13 lead. Vandy junior RB Patrick Smith would answer that touchdown with a one-yard rush to score, Swann tossed a two-point conversion to junior WR Quincy Skinner Jr., cutting their deficit to 17 points. Hairston would put the game on ice with his second pick six of the day late in the fourth with a 54-yard return. He became the first Wildcat in school history to have two pick sixes in a single game. The Dores would score a garbage time touchdown when senior quarterback Ken Seals found freshman tight end Kamrean Johnson on a ten-yard touchdown pass.
Leary finished15-29 for 205 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked once.
In his return to his former home stadium, Davis had 17 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He had one reception for negative yardage.
The UK defense held the Dores to less than 100 rushing yards on the day.
Up next, UK hosts No. 25 Florida at Kroger Field Saturday for a noon kickoff.
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