LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Mike Wright ran 59 yards for a touchdown and completed an 8-yard pass to Will…
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Mike Wright ran 59 yards for a touchdown and caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Will Shepard with 32 seconds left to beat Kentucky 24-21 on Saturday, snapping a 26-game Southeastern Conference losing streak .
Wright was named the Commodores’ starting quarterback but was benched after a 45-25 loss to Wake Forest on Sept. 10. Freshman AJ Swann has started the last six games but was ruled out against Kentucky with an injury.
Kentucky (6-4, 3-4) appeared to hold off the Vandy effort after Chris Rodriguez put the Wildcats ahead twice with a 5-pointer to make it 15-14 and then a 72-yard touchdown run to make it 21-17. with 5:03 left in the game.
Wendy’s game-winning attempt stalled, but a personal foul by Octavius Oxendine wiped out Tyrell Adjian’s interception. Given new life, Wright completed a 40-yard pass to Quincy Skinner Jr. at the Kentucky 9 on fourth-and-11 to set up the game-winning score.
Wright was 12 of 23 passing for 184 yards with an interception and ran for 126 yards. Ray Davis added 129 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Commodores (4-6, 1-5).
Vanderbilt’s last conference win came on October 19, 2019 over Missouri 21-14.
TAKE IT AWAY
VANDERBILT
The Commodores’ defense, which gave up a conference-worst 36.8 points per game, was stellar. The defense had four sacks and six tackles for loss with an interception on the final play of the game. CJ Taylor led the defense with six tackles, a sack and an interception.
KENTUCKY
The Wildcats’ inability to score a touchdown in the red zone in the first half led to a 7-6 halftime deficit. Kentucky drove inside Vandy’s 20 twice and once inside its 30, only to make two field goals of 47 and 27 yards and had a 37-yard field goal blocked. The second field goal capped a 66-yard, 15-play drive that ended at the Vanderbilt 9.
FURTHER
Vanderbilt closes the season with two home games, starting with Florida.
Kentucky continues its three-game homestand to end the season by hosting No. 1 Georgia.
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