Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry

Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry
First meeting October 10, 1896
Vanderbilt 6, Kentucky 0
Latest meeting November 14, 2015
Vanderbilt 21, Kentucky 17
Statistics
Meetings total 88
All-time series Tied, 42–42–4
Largest victory Kentucky, 53–2 (1978)
Longest win streak Vanderbilt, 9 (1896–1918)
Current win streak Vanderbilt, 1 (2015–present)

The Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Kentucky Wildcats football team of the University of Kentucky and Vanderbilt Commodores football team of Vanderbilt University. The rivalry between these two schools, located about 181 miles (291 km) apart, dates to their first meeting in 1896. They are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and are currently members of the SEC's Eastern Division with a total of 88meetings. This rivalry is Kentucky's second longest behind Tennessee and Vanderbilt's third behind Ole Miss and Tennessee. The series is tied 42–42–4.[1]

History

When the rivalry first started, Kentucky did not score on Vanderbilt until 1921, or beat Vanderbilt until 1939. Kentucky and Vanderbilt have played annually since 1953.

35 of the 87 games have been decided by 7 points or less. Kentucky has shut out Vanderbilt 6 times, while Vanderbilt has shut out Kentucky 15 times, 10 of which was from 1896–1920. The rivalry is one of the most evenly matched in the SEC, like the Kentucky–Mississippi State football rivalry.

Notable games

1916: Stoll Field Dedicated

The obverse side of a historic marker erected at Stoll Field in 2008 recalls the 1916 game: "STOLL FIELD: In 1880 the first college football game ever played in the South was held here at what was eventually named Stoll Field. It was dedicated in 1916 at the Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt game and was named in honor of alumnus and long-term Board of Trustees member Judge Richard C. Stoll. The field was the setting of early football games and an integral part of student life."

1921: Kentucky Scores For First Time

The Wildcats would practice their signals under cover of night and with closed gates, feeling secrecy a matter of importance this week.[2] The Commodores had been pegged as the hardest team on Kentucky's schedule, and it was the most interesting home game for Kentucky fans in some time.[3] One sportswriter would call it "the hardest fought battle that has been staged on the Kentucky gridiron in many a day."[4] Sports writer Bruce Dudley later remarked how the Commodores were outplayed by the Wildcats for three quarters.[5] Kentucky would manage to complete ten of twenty passes, among them quarterback "Bobby" Lavin to Fuller and Fuller to Lavin.[6] Prior to this year's game, Kentucky had never scored on Vanderbilt in all of its history;[7] therefore, something of a blow out had been expected, with Vanderbilt having a distinct advantage in weight.[2][8] However, The Lexington Herald reported "That Nashville is intensely interested in the outcome of the game is evidenced by the fact that a special wire, giving the game play by play, will be installed at the field and connected with the Nashville papers."[3]

The Commodores' first two touchdowns would come early. After the kickoff went to Kentucky and the Wildcats' Saunders returned the ball to the 30-yard line, a punt was kicked to Vanderbilt; and, after a good return but little gain, the ball was punted back to Kentucky. Lavin fumbled on the return, the ball recovered by Jess Neely on the 10-yard line.[6] On third down after very little on first and second, Frank Godchaux ran in a touchdown around end. Rupert Smith would score the second and third touchdowns for the Commodores.

Following an exchange of punts, Vanderbilt started a drive on Kentucky's 32-yard line. Neely connected with Pink Wade on a 22-yard pass. Rupert Smith would run for a gain of some seven yards. A slight gain by Lynn Bomar was then followed by Smith running around right end for a touchdown. Kentucky's Server kicked the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Alf Sharpe was ejected for slugging, and the Commodores were penalized half the distance to the goal.

Neely punted the ball away to Lavin, who returned the ball five yards. On the next play Lavin ran around the edge for nineteen yards. Fuller gained two yards and this was followed up by a 5-yard pass. Saunders then made the first down, and fullback Pribble carried the ball in for the score. Time passed and punts were exchanged, until Godchaux made a 20-yard run around the right end. Tot McCullough caught a 24-yard pass, and Smith then skirted around end for the Commodores' final score. Godchaux returned a ball to the 27-yard line. A fumble lost yardage, and the Wildcats' "Slug" Fleahman blocked Jess Neely's punt giving Kentucky the ball at the 12-yard line. Lavin weaved his way through the Commodores' defense for Kentucky's last touchdown.

Kentucky threatened to score late and tie it, but turned the ball over on downs at the 2-yard line. Neely sealed the game by running the ball 34 yards to the 36-yard line.[4]

Game results

Kentucky victoriesVanderbilt victoriesTie games
#DateLocationWinnerScore
1 October 10, 1896 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 6–0
2 October 30, 1897 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 50–0
3 October 5, 1901 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 22–0
4 October 6, 1906 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 28–0
5 October 5, 1907 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 40–0
6 November 11, 1911 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 18–0
7 October 14, 1916 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 45–0
8 October 20, 1917 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 5–0
9 November 2, 1918 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 33–0
10 November 1, 1919 Lexington, KY Tie0–0
11 October 30, 1920 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 20–0
12 October 15, 1921 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 21–14
13 November 11, 1922 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 9–0
14 October 29, 1927 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 34–6
15 November 3, 1928 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 14–7
16 September 25, 1937 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 12–0
17 October 8, 1938 Lexington, TN Vanderbilt 14–7
18 October 7, 1939 Nashville, TN Kentucky 21–13
19 October 12, 1940 Nashville, TN Tie7–7
20 October 11, 1941 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 39–15
21 October 10, 1942 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 7–6
22 October 20, 1945 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 19–6
23 October 19, 1946 Lexington, KY Kentucky 10–7
24 October 18, 1947 Nashville, TN Kentucky 14–0
25 October 16, 1948 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 26–7
26 November 7, 1953 Nashville, TN Kentucky 40–14
27 November 6, 1954 Lexington, KY Kentucky 19–7
28 November 5, 1955 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 34–0
29 November 10, 1956 Lexington, KY Kentucky 7–6
30 November 9, 1957 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 12–7
31 November 8, 1958 Lexington, KY Tie0–0
32 November 7, 1959 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 11–6
33 November 5, 1960 Lexington, KY Kentucky 27–0
34 November 11, 1961 Nashville, TN Kentucky 16–3
35 November 10, 1962 Lexington, KY Kentucky 7–0
36 November 9, 1963 Nashville, TN Tie0–0
37 November 7, 1964 Lexington, TN Kentucky 22–21
38 November 6, 1965 Nashville, TN Kentucky 34–0
39 November 5, 1966 Lexington, KY Kentucky 14–10
40 November 11, 1967 Nashville, TN Kentucky 12–7
41 November 9, 1968 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 6–0
42 November 8, 1969 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 42–6
43 November 7, 1970 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 18–17
44 November 6, 1971 Nashville, TN Kentucky 14–7
45 November 11, 1972 Lexington, KY Kentucky 14–13
#DateLocationWinnerScore
46 November 10, 1973 Nashville, TN Kentucky 27–17
47 November 9, 1974 Lexington, KY Kentucky 38–12
48 November 8, 1975 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 13–3
49 November 6, 1976 Lexington, KY Kentucky 14–0
50 November 5, 1977 Nashville, TN Kentucky 28–6
51 November 11, 1978 Lexington, KY Kentucky 53–2
52 November 10, 1979 Nashville, TN Kentucky 29–10
53 November 8, 1980 Lexington, KY Kentucky 31–10
54 November 7, 1981 Nashville, TN Kentucky 17–10
55 November 6, 1982 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 23–10
56 November 5, 1983 Nashville, TN Kentucky 17–8
57 November 10, 1984 Lexington, KY Kentucky 27–18
58 November 9, 1985 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 31–24
59 November 8, 1986 Lexington, KY Kentucky 34–22
60 November 7, 1987 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 38–29
61 November 5, 1988 Lexington, KY Kentucky 14–13
62 November 11, 1989 Nashville, TN Kentucky 15–11
63 November 10, 1990 Lexington, KY Kentucky 28–21
64 November 9, 1991 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 17–7
65 November 7, 1992 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 20–7
66 November 6, 1993 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 12–7
67 November 5, 1994 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 24–6
68 November 4, 1995 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 14–10
69 November 16, 1996 Lexington, KY Kentucky 25–0
70 November 15, 1997 Nashville, TN Kentucky 21–10
71 November 14, 1998 Lexington, KY Kentucky 55–17
72 November 13, 1999 Nashville, TN Kentucky 19–17
73 November 11, 2000 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 24–20
74 November 10, 2001 Nashville, TN Kentucky 56–30
75 November 16, 2002 Lexington, KY Kentucky 41–21
76 November 15, 2003 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 28–17
77 November 13, 2004 Lexington, KY Kentucky 14–13
78 November 12, 2005 Nashville, TN Kentucky 48–43
79 November 11, 2006 Lexington, KY Kentucky 38–26
80 November 10, 2007 Nashville, TN Kentucky 27–20
81 November 15, 2008 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 31–24
82 November 14, 2009 Nashville, TN Kentucky 24–13
83 November 13, 2010 Lexington, KY Kentucky 38–20
84 November 12, 2011 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 38–8
85 November 3, 2012 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 40–0
86 November 16, 2013 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 22–6
87 September 27, 2014 Lexington, KY Kentucky 17–7
88 November 14, 2015 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 21–17
Series: Tied 42–42–4

Series record sources: College Football Data Warehouse.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 College Football Data Warehouse, Kentucky vs Vanderbilt. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Wildcats Run Signals In Dark". The Lexington Herald. October 12, 1921.
  3. 1 2 "Great Crowd to See Vandy Play". October 14, 1921.
  4. 1 2 Joe T. Lovett (October 16, 1921). "Pribble, Lavin First To Cross On Commodores". Lexington Herald.
  5. Camp, Walter, ed. National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Rules: Official Intercollegiate Football Guide. 45 Rose St, New York: American Sports, 1922. Print. Spalding's Athletic Library.
  6. 1 2 Russell, Fred, and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. Nashville, TN, 1938
  7. The Commodore (Yearbook) 1921, p. 117
  8. "Vandy Outweighs Kentucky And Wins". Montgomery Advertiser. October 16, 1921.
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