KSR Today: Kentucky Football Closes SEC Play at Vanderbilt

And just like that, the SEC schedule has reached the finale. Today Kentucky will take on Vanderbilt in Nashville to close out SEC play for the 2021 football season. The action begins at 7 pm ET on ESPN2.

The Wildcats are seeking their sixth straight win over the Commodores. During his tenure, Mark Stoops has five-game winning streaks over three SEC East schools (South Carolina, Missouri, Vandy), but all of those streaks ended at the sixth game. The most recent streak has not been kind to the Cats.

Kentucky won its first six games, then lost three in a row. The once dominant defense is now porous, allowing more than 35 points a game during the losing streak. The Wildcats are hungry to get right against Vanderbilt.

“We’re not in a position to underestimate anybody,” Mark Stoops said on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “With us, it’s about, ‘What’s our reaction to the situation we’re in?’ We are in the situation, it is what it is. How are we going to react?”

If Kentucky comes out ready to play in the first quarter, it could be a fun night for the BBN at Vanderbilt Stadium. The Cats cannot let the Commodores hang around and build belief that they can secure Clark Lea’s first SEC win.

Potential Milestones

A Kentucky win Saturday night would not only snap a three-game losing streak and extend a six-game winning streak over Vanderbilt, it would give the Wildcats a 5-3 record in conference play. The 2018 Wildcats are the only other UK team since 1977 with a winning record in SEC play. A win would also clinch a second place finish for the Cats in the SEC East.

Kentucky Titans Up

The Vanderbilt road trip presents a few unusual wrinkles. Instead of a flight, it’s a bus trip for the team. To work the kinks out from that ride, the team practiced Friday afternoon in Nashville at the Tennessee Titans’ indoor facility. Hopefully some good juju from the 7-2 Titans’ rubs off on the Wildcats.

The Schedule

• 4:00 — The KSR Pregame Show kicks off on 630 WLAP
• 4:45 — The Cat Walk near the North Side of the Stadium
• 7:00 — Kickoff on ESPN2

Vegas, TV, Radio

Bettors love the Wildcats this week. Kentucky opened as a 19-point favorite. The number has steadily grown, now up to UK -21.5 with a total of 52.5. Vanderbilt has lost four straight, but has covered the spread in two of the last three.

Anish Shroff, Mike Golic Jr. and Taylor McGregor are on the call for ESPN2. If you’d rather listen to the Voice of the Wildcats, there are multiple ways to hear today’s game.

• AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
• FM: 98.1 WBUL
• Satellite: XM-191 and Sirius-138
• Online: iHeart Radio

Vanderbilt Black Out

That’s right, the Commodores are hosting a black out Saturday night. How many will show up for it? Who knows. We do know that Kentucky is steering into the skid. The Wildcats will wear white jerseys, pants and helmets while Vandy wears all-black uniforms.

This weekend you’ll see plenty of schools bust out some special uniforms to salute America’s service men and women in observance of Veteran’s Day. Nobody’s doing it better than Terry Bowden’s 4-win ULM Warhawks.

ULM will wear these incredible Curtiss P-40 Warhawk helmets vs. Arkansas State Saturday on Military Appreciation Day pic.twitter.com/phscRU1Gvl

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 12, 2021

Podcast Lineup

We got you covered with plenty of audio entertainment to help you get to kickoff as stress-free as possible.

• KSR Football Podcast
• Free Money with Matt and Drew
• 11 Personnel
• Pin it Deep
• Depth Chart Podcast with Freddie Maggard

College Football Schedule

Noon
Oklahoma at Baylor, Fox
Michigan at Penn State, ABC
Mississippi State at Auburn, ESPN
West Virginia at Kansas State, FS1
UCF at SMU, ESPNU
Northwestern at Wisconsin, ESPN2

3:30
Purdue at Ohio State, ABC
Minnesota at Iowa, Big Ten Network
Georgia at Tennessee, CBS
Miami at Florida State, ESPN

7:00
Texas A&M at Ole Miss, ESPN
Arizona State at Washington, FS1
Kentucky at Vanderbilt, ESPN2

7:30
NC State at Wake Forest, ACC Network
Notre Dame at Virginia, ABC
Kansas at Texas, ESPNU
Arkansas at LSU, SEC Network

10:30
Washington State at Oregon, ESPN
Nevada at San Diego State, CBS Sports Network

KHSAA Playoff Results

The second round of the playoffs concluded Friday night, setting the matchups for next weekend’s Regional Championships. Southwestern defeated Pulaski County 27-7 in the Kroger KSR Game of the Week. Here are a few other scores around the state:

• Pikeville 28, Hazard 6
• Raceland 28, Paintsville 14
• Middlesboro 43, Breathitt County 33
• Belfry 21, Lawrence County 14
• East Carter 26, Ashland Blazer 16
• Paducah Tilghman 31, Union County 28
• Allen County-Scottsville 35, Franklin-Simpson 28
• Spencer County 7, John Hardin 5
• Franklin County 14, Central 8
• Frederick Douglass 48, Scott County 7
• Madison Central 41, Bryan Station 18
• North Hardin 27, Central Hardin 21
• St. X 18, Manual 16

Kentucky Defeats Bob Mo

Daimion Collins dunked on the entire universe (earning the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter’s Top Plays) and Oscar Tshiebwe grabbed every rebound to give the Wildcats a 100-60 win over Robert Morris in the 2021-22 home opener. The Big O is the first Wildcat with consecutive 20-rebound games since Mike Phillips in 75-76. His 22 offensive rebounds tie Paul Millsap for the most over a two game by a D-I basketball player over the last 25 years. What a great night.