Vanderbilt Commodores vs Kentucky Wildcats Final — October 24, 2026
VANOffense2026 regular season to dateUK
VANDefenseUKVANRecent formUKVANHome and roadseason to dateUKVANLast 10 gamesUKRest & travelrest and travel
VANRest & travelUKAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 7 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
The pre-game matchup
Vanderbilt (2-4) visited Kentucky (5-1) on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30 PM ET.
Vanderbilt has the 89th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 106th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Kentucky has the 81st-ranked offense and the 52nd-ranked defense. When Vanderbilt has the ball, a 89th-ranked offense (+0.011 EPA per play) meets a 52nd-ranked defense (+0.020 allowed); when Kentucky has it, a 81st-ranked offense (+0.037) meets a 106th-ranked defense (+0.167 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Vanderbilt offense is at 45.3% (84th) and the Kentucky offense at 48.5% (53rd). Vanderbilt scores 22.8 points per game (90th) and allows 33.2 (115th); Kentucky scores 30.7 (40th) and allows 28.0 (82nd).
Vanderbilt is 3-4 and 3-4 against the spread; its last game was a 31-21 loss to Arkansas. Kentucky is 6-1 and 6-1 against the spread; its last game was a 21-13 win over Oklahoma.
Kentucky closed as a 10.5-point favorite at home against Vanderbilt. The spread opened at Kentucky -11.5. The total closed 51.5, unchanged from the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Vanderbilt +340, Kentucky -450) prices Vanderbilt at 22% and Kentucky at 78%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Result
Final score and result vs the closing line
Vanderbilt Commodores 17, Kentucky Wildcats 34
Kentucky Wildcats won by 17.
- Against the closing spread (Kentucky Wildcats -10.5): Kentucky Wildcats covered.
- Combined score 51 vs the closing total of 51.5: Under.
- Kentucky Wildcats closed at -450 on the moneyline (a 78% no-vig market-implied chance).
Market
Closing line and line movement
Vanderbilt +11.5 (-109)
Vanderbilt +10.5 (-111)
Kentucky -480 79%
Kentucky -450 78%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts161
- Completion %62.7%112th
- Passing yards1,242131st
- Yards per attempt7.798th
- TD–INT6–7
- Rushing yards270190th
- Season line61 carries, 270 yds, 5 TD
- Receiving yards62811th
- Season line41 catches, 628 yds, 4 TD
- Tackles5158th
- Attempts206
- Completion %68.4%32nd
- Passing yards1,55271st
- Yards per attempt7.5110th
- TD–INT13–1
- Rushing yards48447th
- Season line87 carries, 484 yds, 8 TD
- Receiving yards43659th
- Season line34 catches, 436 yds, 3 TD
- Tackles675th
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 262 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 21, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Vanderbilt | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateVanderbilt offense vs Kentucky defense | 41.9%86th | 45.3%99th |
| Early-down success rateKentucky offense vs Vanderbilt defense | 40.8%35th | 46.9%22nd |
| 3rd-down conversion rateVanderbilt offense vs Kentucky defense | 37.5%91st | 48.2%119th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateKentucky offense vs Vanderbilt defense | 44.2%102nd | 30.0%125th |
| Explosive play rateVanderbilt offense vs Kentucky defense | 6.0%94th | 6.2%44th |
| Explosive play rateKentucky offense vs Vanderbilt defense | 6.7%66th | 6.4%79th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 54.2%32nd-highest | 51.7%60th-highest |
On 3rd down Vanderbilt converts 37.5% (91st) against a Kentucky defense allowing 48.2% (119th).
On 3rd down Kentucky converts 30.0% (125th) against a Vanderbilt defense allowing 44.2% (102nd).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Vanderbilt | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Clark Lea | Will Stein |
| Tenureat this school | 6th season | 1st season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 29–39 | 6–1 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 29–39 | 6–1 |
| Offensive coordinator | Tim Beck | Joe Sloan |
| Defensive coordinator | Steve Gregory | Jay Bateman |
Staff list as of October 20, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 5 times since 2021: Vanderbilt won 3 and Kentucky 2.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 2025 | Kentucky 17, Vanderbilt 45 Vanderbilt won | ||
| Oct 12, 2024 | Vanderbilt 20, Kentucky 13 Vanderbilt won | ||
| Sep 23, 2023 | Kentucky 45, Vanderbilt 28 Kentucky won | ||
| Nov 12, 2022 | Vanderbilt 24, Kentucky 21 Vanderbilt won | ||
| Nov 13, 2021 | Kentucky 34, Vanderbilt 17 Kentucky won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Teams
Vanderbilt Commodores
- Vanderbilt Commodores team stats
- Arkansas Razorbacks 31, Vanderbilt Commodores 21 (Oct 17)
- Ole Miss Rebels 52, Vanderbilt Commodores 17 (Oct 10)
- Vanderbilt Commodores 14, Georgia Bulldogs 38 (Oct 3)
Kentucky Wildcats
More NCAAF games on October 24, 2026
- LSU Tigers 38, Auburn Tigers 17 (Oct 24)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders 24, Cincinnati Bearcats 37 (Oct 24)
- Rice Owls 49, Florida Atlantic Owls 51 (Oct 24)
- Pittsburgh Panthers 23, Miami Hurricanes 52 (Oct 24)
- Indiana Hoosiers 13, Michigan Wolverines 6 (Oct 24)
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights 14, Northwestern Wildcats 42 (Oct 24)
- California Golden Bears 20, SMU Mustangs 59 (Oct 24)
- West Virginia Mountaineers 24, TCU Horned Frogs 20 (Oct 24)
- Western Michigan Broncos 38, Toledo Rockets 45 (Oct 24)
- Miami (OH) RedHawks 28, Central Michigan Chippewas 27 (Oct 24)
- Baylor Bears 24, Kansas Jayhawks 25 (Oct 24)
- Akron Zips 20, Kent State Golden Flashes 35 (Oct 24)
- Oregon Ducks 10, Illinois Fighting Illini 21 (Oct 24)
- Texas A&M Aggies 20, Alabama Crimson Tide 31 (Oct 24)
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