At the Half: Kentucky 24, Vanderbilt 10
It’s a tale of two quarters so far here in Nashville. After 30 minutes of play, Kentucky leads the Vanderbilt Commodores 24-10. The Cats started strong, scoring 21 points in the first quarter and 24 unanswered before the Dores struck back, finishing the half with ten straight points.
Here’s how it all unfolded.
The fast start we’ve been wanting to see
It would almost be unfair to ask for a better start than Kentucky had today. On the Cats’ first series, a first down by Dane Key got an additional 15 yards tacked on the end after Jaylen Mahoney was called for targeting. He was ejected, another blow to Vanderbilt’s already thin secondary. The drive ended with a beautiful 36-yard touchdown run by JuTahn McClain to put the Cats up 7-0 with 9:51 to go in the first quarter.
Less than two minutes later, Kentucky scored again, as Maxwell Hairston picked off a pass by AJ Swann, who was being chased down by Trevin Wallace and JJ Weaver. It’s the first pick-six of Hairston’s career and his second interception this season.
Devin Leary interception on a deep throw into double coverage
Kentucky’s next series was a little sloppier. After a big Ray Davis first down, Devin Leary tried to find Barion Brown in double coverage and was intercepted at the Vanderbilt seven-yard line. Thankfully, Vanderbilt couldn’t turn it into anything, going three-and-out.
The Storyline Series
The next series featured the two players for which this game might mean the most: Ray Davis and Barion Brown. A 55-yard bomb from Devin Leary to Brown put Kentucky on the two-yard line. Two plays later, Davis punched it in to put the Cats up 21-0. You know that had to have felt good.
Sloppy Second Quarter
After a thrilling first quarter, things slowed down in the second. Kentucky extended its lead to 24 with a 27-yard field goal by Alex Raynor with 4:53 to go in the half. The kick came at the end of a promising drive that ate 6:25 up off the clock but stalled inside the ten-yard line due to a drop by Barion Brown and pressure on Devin Leary.
Vanderbilt finally got on the board with a field goal of their own with 2:51 left in the half to cut Kentucky’s lead to 24-3. After a disappointing three-and-out by the Cats, the ‘Dores finished the half strong, marching 57 yards down the field to score to cut Kentucky’s lead to 24-10, a drive aided by two big penalties on the Cats, a pass interference call on Maxwell Hairston and a facemask on Trevin Wallace.
Great start, but gotta reset and bring it in the second half.
1st Half Box Score
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