The Matchup: Kentucky (2-1, 0-1) vs. Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-2)
The Venue: Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky
The Kick: Noon ET
TV: SEC Network
Series record: Series is tied 41-41-4 in 86 all-time meetings.

Last meeting: Led by former head coach James Franklin, Vanderbilt beat Kentucky for the second year in a row with a 22-6 victory in a late-season meeting in Nashville. The Wildcats scored a first quarter touchdown to take an early 6-0 lead, but the Commodores blocked the ensuing extra point and returned it for two points at the other end of the field. Vandy forced four Wildcats turnovers and scored 22 unanswered points to win in convincing fashion.

Coaches: Mark Stoops (4-11), Derek Mason (1-3)

Last game (Kentucky): The Wildcats were off last week, but pushed Florida to triple-overtime in the Swamp two weeks ago before falling 36-30 to the Gators. Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles threw for more than 350 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort, and Kentucky lost to Florida for the 28th year in a row.

Last game (Vanderbilt): Vanderbilt led 14-0 over the No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks before the Cocks finally got into gear, roaring back to earn a 48-34 victory in Nashville. The Commodores got two kick return touchdowns from Darrius Sims, but lost quarterback Patton Robinette early in the game. Freshman Wade Freebeck replaced Robinette against South Carolina, and could earn the start against Kentucky if Robinette is not healthy by Saturday.

Kentucky wins if: It plays sound, disciplined football. Kentucky has the more talented team in this matchup. It’s had two weeks to rest and prepare for this showdown, and it’ll play at home against the Commodores. All the Wildcats have to do is take care of the football and execute their gameplan and they should be fine in this game. Towles did not commit a turnover in Kentucky’s first two games, and if he can play like that against Vandy the offense should have a big day.

Vanderbilt wins if: It can take advantage of Kentucky’s freshmen. The Cats play a lot of young, inexperienced players, especially on offense, and if the Commodores can force those young players to make untimely mistakes, it could keep them in this ballgame. Kentucky has done an impressive job of avoiding stupid mistakes through its first three games, but the Commodores could break through if the Cats do not give them the respect they deserve.

What it means if Kentucky wins: A win would mean a lot to Kentucky, as it would be the Cats’ first win over an SEC team since the end of the 2011 season. UK should be favored entering this matchup, but improving to 3-1 would put the Cats halfway to bowl eligibility with eight games left on the schedule. In the thrust of a rebuilding process, Kentucky cannot afford to miss opportunities at winnable games, so securing a victory Saturday would be another hurdle cleared by a very young team.

What it means if Vanderbilt wins: If Vandy comes away with a victory, it means the SEC East is way more wide open than originally expected, and that Derek Mason may deserve more credit than he’s received thus far. The Commodores will likely be an underdog in each of their SEC contests this year, so any win over a team from the conference would create quite a stir, especially in the East. The ‘Dores would move ahead of UK in the SEC East standings with a win, and could slide ahead of a handful of other teams yet to record their first conference win of the year. It’s a long shot, but a Vandy win would affect a whole lot more than just the Commodores.