The Last Time The Stakes Were This High For Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt

Kentucky and Vanderbilt are not at the top of the SEC football food chain. That doesn’t mean there aren’t peaks for each program in between valleys. However, those peaks rarely align at the same time.

On Saturday, the SEC Network is bringing its traveling road show to Nashville because Kentucky and Vanderbilt are expected to play the best game of the week. The stakes are high for both programs. The Wildcats are riding a 3-game win streak, seeking a sixth win to earn a bowl bid, while Vanderbilt has a chance to secure a ninth regular-season win for the first time since 1915. A 10-win campaign could have the Commodores in the College Football Playoff.

The stakes have not been this high for a Kentucky-Vanderbilt game since 1999.

Each respective coach, Hall Mumme and Woody Widenhofer, entered the contest in Nashville with five wins in their third seasons on the job. Only one game remained for both schools, rivalry matchups with the Defending National Champion Tennessee Volunteers. It was do-or-die, the last chance for Kentucky and Vanderbilt to reach a bowl game. The high stakes created a dramatic contest.

Sign up for the KSR Newsletter to receive Kentucky Wildcats news in the most ridiculous manner possible.

Kentucky Made Big Plays in Crucial Moments

For every punch one team landed, the other had a counterpunch. The two played to a 10-10 draw in the first half, setting the stage for an epic second half in Nashville.

The Kentucky defense backed up Vanderbilt near its own end zone in the third quarter. Dennis Johnson applied pressure and forced the quarterback to throw the ball away. It was ruled intentional grounding, giving the Cats two points and a safety. That would prove to be the two points Kentucky needed for the win.

Clinging to a 2-point lead on third-and-11 from their own 20-yard line, Kentucky QB Dusty Bonner found Quentin McCord, the explosive wide receiver who had practiced just once over the previous month, thanks to an injury. McCord made a man miss, then sprinted 80 yards into the end zone to give the Cats a comfortable 19-10 lead, or so they thought.

Vanderbilt had not one, but two more rallies left in them. Vanderbilt QB Greg Zolman connected with Elliott Carson for a touchdown with 5:20 remaining to make it a two-point game. All Kentucky had to do was run out the clock with a long, sustained drive. Easier said than done.

On third and inches, Mumme called for a quarterback sneak. The exchange with Bonner was fumbled. The quarterback said Vandy swiped and hit the ball before it was snapped, but it didn’t matter. Vandy had the ball in UK territory with a chance to take the lead and win the game.

Mumme was not known for having a stellar defense during his tenure in Lexington, but the Cats came up big once again. In his first career start, Patrick Wiggins forced a fumble that was recovered by Jeff Snedegar with just two minutes to play, securing the 19-17 Kentucky victory.

For the first time in 15 years, Kentucky appeared in consecutive bowl games. Unfortunately, All-American tight end James Whalen dislocated his elbow in the Music City Bowl, ultimately dooming the Wildcats in a 20-13 loss to Syracuse.