Kentucky

Will Vanderbilt football remain in CFP contention vs Kentucky? Our prediction

Published

5 months ago

November 21, 2025

Will Vanderbilt football remain in CFP contention vs Kentucky? Our prediction

Vanderbilt football may not control its destiny for the College Football Playoff, but the Commodores can help themselves with every win.

Vanderbilt (8-2, 6-2 SEC) will have its senior day celebration as it is set to take on Kentucky (5-5, 2-5) at FirstBank Stadium on Nov. 20 (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN). The Commodores will need to win both remaining games against Kentucky and Tennessee to stay in playoff contention.

The Wildcats have won three straight, against Auburn, Florida and Tennessee Tech. Vanderbilt defeated Auburn on Nov. 8 and did not play last week.

Here’s our prediction for the matchup.

Vanderbilt vs Kentucky prediction

Kentucky has struggled overall this season, though it has played close games against a handful of SEC contenders. The Wildcats had a one-score loss to Ole Miss and took Texas to overtime. They also got blown out by Georgia and South Carolina. Defense is where Kentucky has hung its hat this season and Vanderbilt has at times struggled against good defensive teams.

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Vanderbilt vs Kentucky scouting report

Why Vanderbilt has an advantage: Vanderbilt is simply the better team. Kentucky is arguably the worst team in the SEC, and the only teams the Commodores have lost to are playoff contenders. Diego Pavia provides a distinct advantage for Vanderbilt.

Why Kentucky has an advantage: Kentucky defeated Auburn, and Vanderbilt went to overtime with Auburn. The Wildcats have a strong defense and teams with that profile have tripped up the Commodores at times. If Vanderbilt isn’t on its game defensively, meanwhile, even a poor offensive team like Auburn was able to put up points.

Vanderbilt vs Kentucky injury updates

For the Commodores, several reserve players are out long-term. Those out are Yilanan Ouattara, Drew Dickey, Vanzale Hinton, Chase Gillespie and Nikhil Jefferson.

Vanderbilt vs Kentucky score prediction

Vanderbilt 35, Kentucky 17

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

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Kentucky

Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats

Published

12 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky football spring game offers early look at Will Stein’s Cats

LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.

The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.

Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.

Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.

“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”

While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.

“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.

“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”

New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.

And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.

This story will be updated.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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Kentucky

Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

Published

24 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky has reportedly moved on from top-10 transfer Paulius Murauskas

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Texas A&M at Saint Marys

Mar 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Saint Mary’s (CA) Gaels forward Paulius Murauskas (23) takes a shot during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Kentucky

Kentucky gets some potentially good news concerning Donnie Freeman

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky gets some potentially good news concerning Donnie Freeman

Time is of the essence if you’re Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats right now. With the transfer portal set to close in just a few days, chaos reigns as programs and players scramble to secure their next opportunities. Among the fray is Kentucky, which finds itself navigating a tumultuous landscape in search of elite talent. With many of the Top 25 players already committed, the urgency for the Wildcats to land a game-changing recruit has never been more at the forefront following this season.

One of Pope’s primary targets is Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman. The 6-foot-9 rising junior made waves during his time at Syracuse, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 47.4 percent from the field last season. His potential is undeniable; many experts predict Freeman will be a future first-round NBA draft pick, making him a coveted asset for any program.

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