Vanderbilt's party is the latest example of what's possible -- and how far Kentucky needs to go

It’s an hour after Vanderbilt’s 45-17 win over Kentucky, and fans are still partying on the field. The ‘Dores were celebrating their first undefeated season at home since 1982, a squad that was captained by quarterback Whit Taylor, whose single-game passing record Diego Pavia shattered on Saturday night with 484 yards and five touchdowns through the air and 48 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Pavia (and his mother, brothers, and Theo Vonn) was the center of the party, his swagger infusing life into a Vanderbilt program that, if we’re being honest, has never been cool. On Saturday, Vandy football wasn’t just cool, it was a mood, best personified by the Vandy King from the SEC Shorts skits, a normal dude now decked out in a cape, crown, and shades, making the most of his time in the spotlight, a well-deserved victory lap for a fanbase that’s been picked on for years.

FirstBank Stadium is a bigger example. It’s still the smallest in the SEC, with a capacity of 40,000, but now, it’s unique in a good way thanks to Vandy United, the school’s $300 million investment into its athletic facilities. There isn’t a lot of space on Vanderbilt’s campus, and space outside of it is at a premium because of Nashville’s boom. The stadium is right next to Memorial Gymnasium, the basketball arena, and Hawkins Field, the baseball stadium. The area is so tight that expanding up is even a challenge.

In turn, Vandy got creative. They focused on the end zones, creating premium spaces and suites that would generate revenue. One of the end zones also includes the Huber Center. This four-story facility houses new men’s and women’s basketball practice gyms and locker rooms, training facilities, and multi-purpose areas that can be used as premium spaces for football games. It was a smart solution for a tricky space, and athletic director Candace Lee and her department deserve credit.

This season, the renovated FirstBank Stadium has been a showcase for Vanderbilt’s new energy, and specifically, Pavia, whose “2Turnt” motto is everywhere, from fan-made signs and t-shirts that were advertised on the jumbotrons with a QR code. Vanderbilt also invested in the in-game experience, hiring emcees who roam the crowd to interview fans and introduce games. Every timeout is occupied with something, whether it’s introducing and celebrating another of the school’s sports teams (they even do this better than Kentucky), or when the sun sets, a party.

The most memorable was in the third quarter when the lights dimmed and “Shout” came over the speakers. A montage of characters from movies and TV shows dancing played on the big screens, and fans of all ages danced, throwing their hands in the air. Sure, it helped that Vanderbilt was winning 31-3, but it was an absolute blast. Vandy King was even part of the montage (he also came on the College Gameday set when Vandy hosted a few weeks ago), another sign the ‘Dores are very in-tune with their fans and what’s hitting.

*Vandy during TV timeouts…

*Kentucky bringing someone from 04 softball team to the corner of the end zone for 29 seconds during TV timeouts at Kroger Field pic.twitter.com/fp7o7rx3vs

— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) November 22, 2025

The same thing happened each timeout during the rest of the game, the lights coming down and the music blaring right up until the play clock started. Vanderbilt is far from the only team to do this. Kentucky fans who have traveled to away games this season have seen the same thing at South Carolina, Auburn, and Georgia. It’s a sharp contrast from the in-game atmosphere at Kroger Field, which, to its credit, improved as the season went on this year, but has a long way to go.

What Vanderbilt football will be like after Diego Pavia leaves remains to be seen. Clark Lea may have captured lightning in a bottle with the plucky Gen Z Johnny Football; however, the ‘Dores have laid a foundation for success in the future. There are rumors that they could flip Jared Curtis, a five-star quarterback currently committed to Georgia. Even though Curtis is from Nashville, that would be the latest example of how things have changed on West End.

Kentucky fans are used to treating the Vanderbilt game as a quasi-home game. Nashville is an easy drive from many areas of the state, tickets are usually cheap, and more often than not, you can go home with a win. That’s not the case anymore. There were a lot of Kentucky fans in the stands on Saturday, several who probably decided to make the trip after the Cats’ wins over Auburn and Florida. They got a front-row seat to Vandy’s transformation, which is in large part due to Pavia, yes, but also a forward-thinking athletic department. If they went north on I-65 instead of south, they could see the same thing at Indiana. Vanderbilt and Indiana used to be programs Kentucky could always rely on being ahead of. Now, they’re the best examples of how far behind the Cats are, but also what is possible in the new era of college football.

Commonwealth Stadium underwent a $126 million renovation in 2015 to become Kroger Field. Revenue is the name of the game in college football as programs try desperately to raise money to keep up in the rev-share and NIL, and Kentucky is trying. Thirty-six million dollars’ worth of improvements are coming to Kroger Field’s seating areas, concourses, and fan amenities. The department surveyed fans on what premium areas they’d like to see and around the stadium moving forward. When it comes to the latter, they are exploring adding an entertainment district around Kroger Field that could include a hotel, restaurants, bars, and even a men’s basketball practice facility. All of those things would be great not only for the game-day experience, but for the budget, generating much-needed revenue. If done thoughtfully, that could be how Kentucky can catch up.

Those projects will take years, but until then, Kentucky can take a page out of Vandy’s (or Auburn’s, or South Carolina’s, or Georgia’s) playbook and do the small things to make Kroger Field fun. Kentucky may not have Diego Pavia, but it does have Cutter Boley. He’s not a brash as Pavia, but he’s a homegrown kid who looks like a bona fide star and has the support of the locker room. Invest in him through NIL and marketing.

Whatever happens with Mark Stoops, the coaching staff, and recruiting remains to be seen, but outside of the locker room, the department needs to do its part, too, in hopes of having a night like Saturday in Nashville, when fans of a program that was once the laughingstock of the SEC are throwing the biggest party, the fruition of years of planning, fundraising, and forward-thinking. If Mitch Barnhart really does retire after this school year, as is rumored, Kentucky could learn a thing or two from its former fellow SEC cellar dweller.