Kentucky missed opportunities to swing game in Middle 8

The Middle 8 can often win and lose football games. In a 20-13 road victory in Week 7, Clark Lea’s Vanderbilt team ripped off a 10-0 run in this key area and that ultimately led to the Commodores leaving Kroger Field with a one-possession victory.

Kentucky had their chances to prevent that run from happening. On a couple of key third downs, the Kentucky defense could not get off the field and an unsuccessful third down play on offense after Vandy’s 10-point run ultimately led to disaster as the game slipped away from Kentucky in the third quarter.

KSR is taking a look at the biggest plays from Kentucky’s latest home loss.

Third-and-long conversion finds the paint

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is a magician in third-and-medium. The 2023 Conference USA Player of the Year will consistently move the chains if you allow the offense to get to that spot. However, third-and-long situations give the defense some leverage.

Unfortunately, Kentucky could not create a stop in the biggest third-and-long play of the game.

With under 25 seconds left in the second quarter, Kentucky had a chance to limit the Middle Eight damage and force a field goal attempt. Instead, the Wildcats gave up a touchdown.

Offensive coordinator Tim Beck goes to a rollout concept and slot receiver Richie Hoskins is one-on-one with Kentucky nickel Zion Childress with outside leverage. Hoskins easily creates separation at the top of the route and Pavia delivers an accurate strike on the run. Vandy punches in a late score to end the second quarter and this was the moment that swung the game.

A Middle Eight stop likely keeps this as a one-possession game for the entirety of the second half. Instead, Vanderbilt adds some much-needed cushion in a game that featured only 14 non-kneel possessions from both teams.

Missed tackle extends the Middle 8 drive

Out of halftime, Kentucky trailed 14-7 and created a third-and-medium just outside of scoring territory. A stop could’ve create a fourth down decision from Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea. An eventual turnover on downs could’ve flipped the game. Unfortunately, that never occurred due to a missed tackle.

Kentucky linebacker D’Eryk Jackson had a one-on-one matchup with Vanderbilt tailback AJ Newberry and could not finish the tackle.

A physical block takes Kentucky nickel Jantzen Dunn out of the play but Jackson has a shot to get Newberry on the ground and misses the tackle. The redshirt freshman then falls forward before the rest of the Kentucky calvary arrives. That moves the chains and extends a drive that would ultimately add three points and extend the lead to 10.

Kentucky’s defense missed a critical opportunity at a game-swinging stop to begin the third quarter.

Goal-to-go inefficiency in the third quarter

After falling down 17-7, Kentucky got the ball back with 7:44 left in third quarter and began their own long drive. The Wildcats created a goal-to-go series but a second down penalty backed Kentucky to the six yard-line. Then Kentucky got nothing on another quarterback run.

Kentucky goes with a 12 personnel look and Vanderbilt responds by bringing six players up on the line of scrimmage. The QB counter gets nothing as Kentucky’s offensive line creates no movement. Brock Vandagriff has nowhere to run and the play ends in no gain. The Wildcats then enter an obvious passing situation on third down and an incomplete pass is followed by a dropped snap on a field goal attempt.

This possession was outside of the Middle Eight but Kentucky ruined a scoring opportunity by going penalty, no gain, incomplete, and botched field goal. Instead of making this a one-possession game with two or three more possessions remaining, Kentucky struck out and put itself into too big of a hole.