The Kentucky Wildcats rolled to a big road win over the Vanderbilt Commodores Saturday evening.

The Wildcats used a balanced and versatile attack all night long to rack up 427 yards of offense and 44 points on the Commodores. The Vanderbilt defense never had an answer for Kentucky and struggled to get off the field all game long.

On offense, the Commodores could never seem to get things in gear against the Wildcats. The team started quickly with an early touchdown, but Vanderbilt QB Kyle Shurmur threw three interceptions that proved to be costly.

The win moves the Wildcats to 7-3 with a chance for a strong finish to the season. On the other hand, the Commodores fall to 4-6 overall and are still without a win in the SEC.

What I liked

  • Kentucky’s balance on offense. The Wildcats put up an incredible offensive output that was paced by QB Stephen Johnson. Johnson completed 13 of 17 passes for 195 yards while contributing 44 yards rushing to a ground game that gained 233 yards. Johnson’s numbers may not draw a lot of attention, but his contributions kept Vanderbilt’s defense off balance.
  • Benny Snell’s performance. The sophomore running back for the Wildcats continues to be impressive. He carried the ball 17 times for 116 yards and 3 TDs while catching one pass for 20 yards. Snell is truly a special player, and he is already etching his name into Kentucky’s record books.
  • Vanderbilt’s Salute to Service tribute. The Commodores rocked unique uniforms as a tribute to men and women who have fallen in service with the U.S. Armed Forces. It was a really awesome tribute for the Veterans Day game.
  • Lynn Bowden Jr. continues to make big plays for the Wildcats. The versatile freshman had three catches for 79 yards with his longest catch going for 35 yards. He also added 113 yards on kickoff returns with a long of 93 that gave Kentucky field position inside Vanderbilt’s 10-yard line.

What I didn’t like

  • Vanderbilt’s running game. The Commodores got off to a hot start as RB Ralph Webb scored on a 37-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt finished the game with just 60 yards on the ground. The Commodores were ultimately forced to throw the ball a lot after falling behind, but the three interceptions from Shurmur sealed their fate.

The Wildcats will travel to Athens next weekend to take on Georgia while Vanderbilt will play Missouri at home.