Postgame notes and stats from Kentucky's win over Vanderbilt

Kentucky is 4-0 after recording a win the SEC opener for the third consecutive season. The Wildcats handled business in a 45-28 victory over Vanderbilt with a heavy Big Blue Nation crowd in attendance.

The defense made game-changing plays and the offense hit on some explosives. There were some rough moments on both sides of the football, but the Cats raced out to a double-digit lead early and never let go of the rope.

We are currently in the middle of recapping what we just saw at FirstBank Stadium. Let’s take a look at the postgame notes and stats provided by UK Athletics.

Records and Info

• Kentucky is 4-0 overall and 1-0 in SEC play. Vanderbilt is 2-3 and 0-1 in SEC play.
• Kentucky leads the series 49-43-4 over Vanderbilt.
• Kentucky now has won seven of the past nine meetings in the series.
• UK has won the last four meetings in Nashville.
• In today’s game, Kentucky scored its most points against Vanderbilt since 2005 (48 points in 2005).

Kentucky Notes

• Kentucky opened the season 4-0 for the third season in a row.
• It is only the second time in history that UK has done that for three straight seasons (1909-11).
• Kentucky has won each of the last three SEC openers for the first time since marking the first time since 1976-79.
• UK won its first four games of the season by at least 11 points for the first time since 2018.
• UK tied the school record for the most points scored in the first quarter in program history with 21 points.
• UK had two interception returns for touchdowns.
• Maxwell Hairston had UK’s first pick-six since Keidron Smith at Florida on Sept. 10, 2022.
• UK has had at least one pick-six in the last four straight years and in their last two straight appearances against Vanderbilt in Nashville.
• UK’s first pair of pick-sixes, and first pair of defensive touchdowns, in the same game since Kelvin Joseph and Jamin Davis both had pick-sixes on Oct. 17, 2020.
• UK limited Vandy to 97 rushing yards.
• The Wildcats have held their opponents to less than 100 yards rushing in their last five games.
• The Wildcats have held each of their first four opponents of the season to under 100 yards rushing for the first time since at least 1985.
• Kentucky has allowed 28 points or less in its first four games of the season for three straight seasons for the first time since 1973-75.
• UK has forced eight turnovers in the first four games, the most in its first four games since 2020.
• UK has forced at least one turnover in each of the first four games for the first time since 2019.
• UK has forced a turnover in eight consecutive regular-season games.

Coach Notes

• UK is 4-0 for the fourth time in the last six seasons under Markk Stoops.
• Stoops extended his school records for most total victories (70) and SEC victories (33).
• Stoops 58-33 (.637) over the last 101 games at Kentucky.

Player Notes

• Devin Leary completed 15 of his 29 passes for 205 yards and one touchdown.
• Leary also had a career-long, 22-yard run for a first down in the second quarter.
• Running back Ray Davis had 17 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
• Davis is the first Wildcat to score a touchdown in the first four games of the season since La’Rod King in 2011.
• Davis has the most touchdowns rushing through the first four games of the season (5) since Benny Snell Jr. In 2018 (7).
• JuTahn McClain had six carries for 64 yards and one touchdown.
• McClain’s 36-yard-touchdown run was a career long.
• Wide receiver Barion Brown had four catches for 105 yards.
• That was Brown’s second 100-plus yard game this season, and the fourth of his career.
• Dane Key added four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
• Maxwell Hairston had two interception returns for touchdowns, four tackles, and the first three pass breakups of his career.
• Hairston is the first UK player to ever have two pick-sixes in one game.
• Octvaious Oxendine led Kentucky with six tackles.
• D’Eryk Jackson had his first interception since 2021, and the third of his career.
• Trevin Wallace was credited with a QB hurry on Vanderbilt’s second drive of the game, which helped UK to its first pick-six of the season.
• Kicker Alex Raynor connected on a 27-yard field goal and went 6-of-6 in point-after attempts.
• Raynor has made 10 consecutive field goal attempts dating back to last season.