Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt by the numbers
Kentucky (3-0) at Vanderbilt (2-2)
11 a.m. CDT Saturday (SEC Network)
FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee
1 Freshman has returned an interception for a touchdown in Vanderbilt history – CB Martel Hight, who had a pick-six of 37 yards for the first TD of the Commodores’ 40-37 loss to UNLV last week.
2 Of the previous 95 Kentucky-Vanderbilt games have been played in September, as this year’s game arrives on the calendar earlier than any of their other matchups. Vanderbilt won 12-0 on Sept. 25, 1937, and Kentucky won 17-7 on Sept. 27, 2014. All their other meetings have been played in October and November.
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6 Consecutive games with at least one 100-yard rusher for Kentucky against Vanderbilt. RB Benny Snell Jr. had 100-yard games in 2017 and 2018 and RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. did so in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Kentucky QB Lynn Bowden Jr. also was a 100-yard rusher against the Commodores in 2019. Kentucky’s leading rusher, Ray Davis, ran for 112 yards in the Wildcats’ season-opener against Ball State and has 10 100-yard games in his career, including 129 yards against Kentucky for Vanderbilt last season. Davis ran for 1,042 yards as the Commodores’ top ball-carrier in the 2022 season before transferring to the Wildcats.
7 TD passes in the past two games for Kentucky QB Devin Leary as he became the first Kentucky player with at least three TD passes in consecutive games since Mike Hartline against South Carolina and Georgia in 2010. Leary completed 24-of-38 passes for 299 yards with four TDs and one interception against Eastern Kentucky and 16-of-25 passes for 315 yards with three TDs and one interception against Akron in Kentucky’s past two games.
10 Years since Vanderbilt scored consecutive victories over Kentucky. Since the 2013 meeting, which the Commodores won 22-6 for their third straight victory over the Wildcats, Kentucky has won seven of the nine matchups. But Vanderbilt beat the Wildcats 24-21 in last year’s game.
11 Consecutive seasons have featured a loss for Vanderbilt in its first SEC game of the campaign. The Commodores haven’t been 1-0 in league play since posting a 30-7 victory over Ole Miss on Sept. 17, 2011. Since that victory, Vanderbilt has dropped its SEC opener to Georgia and South Carolina three times apiece, Alabama and Ole Miss twice each and Texas A&M once.
11 Consecutive Vanderbilt seasons have included a loss in the Commodores’ first home conference game. Since Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss 30-7 in its first home SEC game of 2011, the Commodores have opened their home conference slate with losses to Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina three times apiece and Alabama and LSU once each.
19 Consecutive conference games played in August and September have been lost by Vanderbilt. Since the Commodores defeated Ole Miss 30-7 on Sept. 17, 2011, Vanderbilt has lost its 16 SEC games in September and its three SEC games in August.
30.1 Yards per reception for Vanderbilt WR London Humphreys as he posted consecutive 100-yard games in the Commodores’ past two contests. Humphreys had four receptions for 109 yards and one TD against Wake Forest and three receptions for 102 yards and one TD against UNLV.
44 Years since Kentucky started three consecutive seasons with a 1-0 SEC record. The Wildcats opened their SEC schedule by beating Mississippi State 23-7 in 1977 and Ole Miss 24-17 in 1978 and 14-3 in 1979. Heading into the 2023 conference opener on Saturday, Kentucky is coming off a 35-28 victory over Missouri in the 2021 SEC opener and a 26-16 victory over Florida in the 2022 SEC opener.
48 Victories for Kentucky, 43 victories for Vanderbilt and four ties in the Wildcats-Commodores series. The teams have played annually since 1953.
112 Years since Kentucky started three consecutive seasons with a 4-0 record. The Wildcats carry a 3-0 record into Saturday’s game after winning their first four games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Kentucky most recently had three consecutive 4-0 records in 1909, 1910 and 1911, the only time that has been accomplished in school history. In 1909, the victories came against Kentucky Wesleyan, Berea, Illinois and Tennessee. In 1910, Kentucky defeated Ohio, Maryville, North Carolina and Kentucky Wesleyan. In 1911, the wins came over Maryville, Morris-Harvey, Miami (Ohio) and Lexington High School. In 2021, Kentucky’s wins came against Louisiana-Monroe, Missouri, Chattanooga and South Carolina. In 2022, the Wildcats beat Miami (Ohio), Florida, Youngstown State and Northern Illinois. Kentucky has started this season by downing Ball State, Eastern Kentucky and Akron.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.