KSR Gameday: Kentucky opens SEC play at Vanderbilt
After three tune-up games, the season begins in earnest today for the Kentucky Football team. The Cats open SEC play at Vanderbilt in just four hours, 11 a.m. local time in Nashville. While the Commodores are the weakest team left on Kentucky’s schedule, the memory of last year’s 24-21 loss in Kroger Field should serve as a reminder that nothing is given, and the slightest slip-up could result in the most embarrassing loss of the season.
Last year’s game is just one of many storylines today. This will be Ray Davis‘ first game against his former team after transferring from West End to Lexington during the offseason. That would understandably be a distraction for most, but the running back has had a mature approach all week, telling reporters, “It’s not Ray Davis vs. Vanderbilt, it’s Kentucky Football vs. Vanderbilt.” It’s also a homecoming for six Nashville-area Wildcats: wide receivers Barion Brown (Nashville) and Shamar Porter (Nashville), quarterback Destin Wade (Spring Hill), outside linebacker Keaten Wade (Spring Hill), defensive linemen Tre’vonn Rybka (Dickson) and Edric Simmons (Nashville).
Then, there is FirstBank Stadium, the site of today’s game. The venue is undergoing major renovations as part of a $300 million investment into Vanderbilt’s athletics facilities. The north and south end zones are gone and capacity is reduced from 39,790 to 28,500. That said, tickets are still available if you’re in the area and still considering a last-minute trip. Before you go, check out Vanderbilt’s website for information on road closures and parking changes. They have video tutorials on how to enter FirstBank Stadium from four different locations: 25th Avenue Garage, West Garage, Flat Lots Access Route, and the Kensington Garage.
As part of the construction, visiting teams will be getting ready in a tent across the street from the stadium. That’s easy to mock, but as Maggie Davis showed us yesterday, it’s a pretty fancy tent — and WAY nicer than the old Vandy visitor’s locker room.
I’ll be making the five-mile trek across town to cover the game with Adam Luckett and Steven Peake. We’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes pics on KSR’s Instagram story and tales of our adventures on KSBoard, so be sure to follow along.
Kentucky Football Gameday Schedule
All Times Eastern
- 9:00 a.m.: KSR Pregame Show begins on 630 WLAP
- 9:45 a.m.: The Cat Walk outside Gate 1 at FirstBank Stadium
- 11:00 a.m.: KSBar opens
- 12:00 p.m. Kickoff on SEC Network
Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt: TV, Radio, Line
Kentucky is a 13.5-point favorite vs. Vanderbilt, with the total set at 49.5 points. The Cats are 2-1 against the spread this season, covering vs. Ball State (-25.5) and Akron (-25.5). They’ve gone under the point total twice, vs. Eastern Kentucky (62) and Akron (48.5). The Commodores are 0-4 against the spread this year, going over the projected point total in each game.
Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb will be on the call for the SEC Network, with Alyssa Lang providing sideline updates. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon ET, 11 a.m. Nashville time. Tickets are still available, but if you’re unable to make the trip to Music City or watch the Cats on TV, you can always listen to the Voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leach, and Jeff Piecoro.
- AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
- FM: 98.1 WBUL
- Satellite: Sirius 109 or 190, SXM app 961
You can also follow the action on KSBoard’s live game thread.
LATE Friday night Yahtzee!
While you were sleeping, three-star linebacker Devin Smith committed to Kentucky. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Brunswick (GA) High star picked the Cats over the LSU Tigers and is the 20th member of Kentucky’s 2024 class. The news dropped around 3 a.m., so before you fully shift into Vanderbilt mode, let Adam Luckett tell you about the speedy defender Mark Stoops just added to the roster.
Top 10
- 1Hot
12-Team CFP bracket
The updated field is set
- 2
Miami AD shot at Alabama
Dan Radakovich has CFP issues
- 3
Bama over Miami
CFP Chair addresses controversy
- 4New
CFP Top 25 revealed
Controversy is here
- 5Breaking
Kobe Prentice
Alabama WR to transfer
Nick Roush also joined On3’s Josh Newberg to discuss the addition:
Cats breaking out the Chrome Domes
Today is the debut of Kentucky’s new white away uniforms and to celebrate the occasion, they’ll be paired with the chrome away helmets. Appropriately, Ray Davis modeled them atop UK’s equipment truck before it left for Music City.
Vanderbilt will wear all black to honor Gold Star families, which are immediate family member(s) of a fallen service member who died while serving in a time of conflict.
Free cowboy hats for Vandy students
We’re used to t-shirt night/cup night/bat night when Kentucky Basketball is on the road. Well, today is Cowboy Hat Day in Nashville.
Breakout game coming from JJ Weaver?
JJ Weaver hasn’t had quite the start to his final season as a Wildcat that he would like. The senior outside linebacker has picked up 12 total tackles (eight solo) to go with two tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass deflection through three games, but knows he has to pick it up going into SEC play. Earlier this week, Weaver admitted he’s been trying to do too much thus far. Yesterday, he shared this message on social media, vowing to do better to honor his father, who was murdered in 2020.
Revenge could also provide some motivation.
“They beat us,” Weaver said of Vanderbilt on Tuesday. “There’s a bad taste in our mouth. We got a bad taste, got to come out better. We didn’t play how we wanted to play last year, but that’s on us: missing tackles, missing assignments, not getting a call right. That’s on us.”
College Football on TV
| TIME (ET) | AWAY | HOME | TV |
| 12:00 PM | Kentucky | Vanderbilt | SECN |
| 12:00 PM | Auburn | Texas A&M | ESPN |
| 12:00 PM | Rutgers | #2 Michigan | BTN |
| 12:00 PM | #16 Oklahoma | Cincinnati | FOX |
| 12:00 PM | #4 Florida State | Clemson | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | #22 UCLA | #11 Utah | FOX |
| 3:30 PM | #15 Ole Miss | #13 Alabama | CBS |
| 3:30 PM | #20 Miami (Fla.) | Temple | ESPN2 |
| 3:30 PM | #18 Duke | UConn | CBSSN |
| 3:30 PM | #19 Colorado | #10 Oregon | ABC |
| 4:00 PM | UTSA | #23 Tennessee | SECN |
| 7:00 PM | #14 Oregon State | #21 Washington St. | FOX |
| 7:00 PM | Charlotte | #25 Florida | ESPN+ |
| 7:00 PM | Arkansas | #12 LSU | ESPN |
| 7:30 PM | UAB | #1 Georgia | ESPN2 |
| 7:30 PM | #3 Texas | Baylor | ABC |
| 7:30 PM | #6 Ohio State | #9 Notre Dame | NBC |
| 7:30 PM | #24 Iowa | #7 Penn State | CBS |
| 7:30 PM | Memphis | Missouri | ESPNU |
| 7:30 PM | Miss. State | South Carolina | SECN |
| 8:00 PM | #17 North Carolina | Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 10:30 PM | #5 USC | Arizona St. | FOX |
| 10:30 PM | California | #8 Washington | ESPN |
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