Clark Lea: Vanderbilt expected to win against Kentucky

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea fully expected to beat Kentucky over the weekend, at least that’s how he and his team felt.

They did after all. The Commodores beat the Wildcats 20-13 a week after stunning previous No. 1 Alabama to improve to 4-2 on the season.

So at the halfway point, Lea is feeling pretty good and it could be the best season Vanderbilt’s had in quite some time.

“I’m grateful for the team I have,” Lea said postgame. “I’m grateful for their competitive spirit. I’m very proud of the fight they’ve shown and the belief they have in one another and we expected to win that game, and they delivered. And so, credit to them.”

Vanderbilt built a 20-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats wouldn’t go away. A late touchdown cut the lead 20-13 and Vandy ended up punting it right back.

As Lea put it, it’s always going to be physical against Kentucky.

“(It was a) physical, tough, hard, fought win against a really good opponent,” Lea said. “Credit to Coach Stoops and his team. That was a gutsy win, and we had to bring it for four quarters. They weren’t going to let off. I thought it was emotional early. I thought there was kind of some, maybe a little too much emotion early on. That’s a signature of Kentucky teams that they’re going to fight and be tough. I think coming off a bye week, they were ready. 

“In the first half, you know, they kind of had the physical edge. But as the game settled there, as the half extended, yeah, I felt like we started to get into rhythm, and we were able to play, to our identity … I’m proud of our team.” 

Looking at the second half of the season, Ball State is next and then No. 1 Texas comes to town. If Lea and his squad knocked off No. 1 Alabama, who’s to say they can’t do it again?

“You know, we’re not surprised to be here,” Lea said. “We knew it was going to take everything we had. The guys delivered, and we get to celebrate a win on the road, which is always special. You know, for us, this is going to be a chance to celebrate on the bus ride home. We’ll get home late, and pretty quickly thereafter, we’re going to switch our attention to Ball State.”