Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry

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 96 meetings. This rivalry is Kentucky's second longest behind Tennessee and Vanderbilt's third behind Ole Miss and Tennessee. Kentucky leads the series 49–43–4.[2]

Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry
Kentucky Wildcats
Vanderbilt Commodores
First meetingOctober 10, 1896
Vanderbilt, 6–0
Latest meetingSeptember 23, 2023
Kentucky, 45–28
Next meeting2024
Statistics
Meetings total96
All-time seriesKentucky, 49–43–4[1]
Largest victoryKentucky, 53–2 (1978)
Longest win streakVanderbilt, 9 (1896–1918)
Current win streakKentucky, 1 (2023–present)
🌍
Locations of Kentucky and Vanderbilt

39 of the 93 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 were from 1896 to 1920. The rivalry is one of the most evenly matched in the SEC.

History

First game (1896)

The first game between Vanderbilt and Kentucky (then known as Kentucky State) was played in Nashville on October 10, 1896. Vanderbilt won the first game, 6–0, with Vanderbilt's captain and fullback, Connel, making a touchdown and kicking the goal after touchdown.[3]

Early dominance by Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt dominated the series in the early years of competition. Between 1896 and 1938, the programs played 17 games. Vanderbilt won 16 of those games, the only exception being a scoreless tie in 1919.[4]

In 1916, the dedication for Stoll Field was celebrated during the Kentucky-Vanderbilt game.[5]

In 1921, after being shut out by Vanderbilt in 11 consecutive games, Kentucky scored two touchdowns but lost by a 21–14 score.[6]

Kentucky's first victory (1939)

On October 7, 1939, Kentucky won its first game in the series, defeating Vanderbilt by a 21–13 score before a crowd of 10,000 in Nashville.[7] The Wildcats were led by the passing and running of sophomore Ermal Allen. Kentucky quarterback Joe Shepherd also intercepted a Vanderbilt pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown.[8]

Kentucky dominates in the Bryant years

In 1946, Bear Bryant took over as Kentucky's head football coach. In his first season, the Wildcats defeated the Commodores by a 10–7 score. Bryant led his team to its second consecutive victory in 1947, this time by a 14–0 score. After a four-year hiatus in the rivalry from 1949 to 1952, the rivalry resumed in 1953 with Kentucky winning by a 40–14 score. Bryant left Kentucky after the 1953 season.

Collier years

Blanton Collier took over as Kentucky's head coach in 1954. He remained in that position through the 1961 season and compiled a 4–3–1 record against Vanderbilt.

Bradshaw years

Charlie Bradshaw served as Kentucky's head football coach from 1962 to 1968. During his tenure, the Wildcats compiled a 5–1–1 against the Commodores.

Game results

Series record sources: College Football Data Warehouse.[2]

Kentucky victoriesVanderbilt victoriesTie games
No.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 #20 Kentucky 14–0
25 October 16, 1948 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 26–7
26 November 7, 1953 Nashville, TN #14 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 #10 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
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
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
50 November 5, 1977 Nashville, TN #7 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 #24 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
89 October 8, 2016 Lexington, KY Kentucky 20–13
90 November 11, 2017 Nashville, TN Kentucky 44–21
91 October 20, 2018 Lexington, KY #14 Kentucky 14–7
92 November 16, 2019 Nashville, TN Kentucky 38–14
93 November 14, 2020 Lexington, KY Kentucky 38–35
94 November 13, 2021 Nashville, TN Kentucky 34–17
95 November 12, 2022 Lexington, KY Vanderbilt 24–21
96 September 23, 2023 Nashville, TN Kentucky 45–28
Series: Kentucky leads 49–43–4[1]

See also

References
  1. "Winsipedia - Kentucky Wildcats vs. Vanderbilt Commodores football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. College Football Data Warehouse, Kentucky vs Vanderbilt Archived 2014-07-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  3. "Vanderbilt Beats Kentucky in a Close Game". Chattanooga Daily Times. October 11, 1896 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "State Holds Commodores To Scoreless Tie in Mud". The Courier Journal. November 2, 1919 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Glories of Old U. of K. Recited". The Courier-Journal. October 15, 1916. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Vanderbilt Wins Game From Kentucky Eleven After Fierce Battle". The Courier-Journal. October 16, 1921 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Kentucky Downs Vanderbilt Rival". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 8, 1939 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Kenneth Gregory (October 8, 1939). "Kentucky Conquers Vanderbilt By 21-13". The Messenger (Owensboro, Kentucky). p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
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