{"id":1973,"date":"2016-10-06T12:02:02","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T16:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordoncollegefootball.com\/?p=1973"},"modified":"2025-09-13T15:18:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T19:18:12","slug":"vanderbilt-at-kentucky-preview-and-sec-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2016\/10\/06\/vanderbilt-at-kentucky-preview-and-sec-predictions\/","title":{"rendered":"Vanderbilt at Kentucky Preview and SEC Predicitions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A Moral Victory??<\/p>\n<p>Most coaches\u00a0will never admit\u00a0there is no such thing as a moral victory, it is all in the wins and losses. However the<strong> Kentucky Wildcats<\/strong> performance against the top ranked <strong>Alabama Crimson Tide<\/strong> would rank as just\u00a0that.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/mark-stoops-2.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mark Stoops<\/a>&#8216;<\/strong> club got out to an early 3-0 lead and the game was tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter. However a rash of fumbles by quarterback <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/search\/search.fcgi?search=Stephen+Johnson&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stephen Johnson<\/a><\/strong> and Alabama&#8217;s depth finally took over leading to a 34-6 win for <strong>Nick Saban&#8217;s<\/strong> club.<\/p>\n<p>The Wildcats defense, which has been a sore spot all season, held the Crimson Tide to their lowest rushing yards of the season (173),\u00a0as well as their lowest\u00a0point total (34). Stoops saw improvements in his\u00a0squad\u00a0for a third straight game.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kentucky, Coach Mark Stoops find plenty of things they can build on from the loss at Alabama. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QNThEDQwUq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/QNThEDQwUq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jen Smith (@ByJenSmith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ByJenSmith\/status\/783019099869868032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 3, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Vanderbilt at Kentucky Preview and SEC Predicitions<\/h2>\n<h3>Two Similar Teams<\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Vanderbilt at Kentucky- (4:00 SEC Network<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n<p>Before each season the Wildcats and Commodores look at their schedule and count this game as a win. Both teams come into this game with 2-3 records and the all-time series between the two schools is tied at 42 wins with four ties.\u00a0Vandy has won four of the last five including a 21-17 win last season that may go down at\u00a0Stoops&#8217; worst loss.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mark Stoops on 2015 loss to Vanderbilt: \u2018It\u2019ll probably bother me for the rest of&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2jcK4Ri7rc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/2jcK4Ri7rc<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BBN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#BBN<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UrWTytjkyy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/UrWTytjkyy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; SEC Country Kentucky (@SECCountryUK) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SECCountryUK\/status\/783004189815349248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 3, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Commodores nearly beat <strong>Florida<\/strong> last week and went up I-65 two weeks ago and beat a good <strong>Western Kentucky<\/strong> team. Quarterback <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/kyle-shurmur-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Shurmur<\/a><\/strong> suffered an eye injury against the Gators and will wear a protective shield on Saturday. Shurmur threw for two touchdowns last season against the Cats in his third career start.<\/p>\n<h3>Controlling the Ball<\/h3>\n<p>In order to win Kentucky must control the ball with <strong>Boom Williams<\/strong> and <strong>Benny Snell<\/strong>. Johnson also has to cut down on his turnovers. On the flip side the Kentucky defense must find a way to stop <strong>Ralph Snell<\/strong>. The SEC&#8217;s leader in both rushes (118) and yards (582) will present a tall challenge to a defense that has had trouble stopping the run.<\/p>\n<p>If the Wildcats want to make their first bowl game since 2010 this is a game they have to win. A loss here and\u00a0fans will start dreaming of basketball season and a chance to win the school&#8217;s ninth national championship. Playing at home Stoops will get the big win he needs as they head into their bye week.<\/p>\n<p>Kentucky 23-17<\/p>\n<p>Time to take a look at the rest of the games in the SEC. Last week the Old Krystal Ball went 6-1 making the season record 44-8. The only miss was the predicted Missouri upset of LSU and the less said about that the better.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>LSU at Florida- (NOON- ESPN<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>Ed Orgeron<\/strong> era in <strong>Baton Rouge<\/strong> couldn&#8217;t have gotten off to a better start with a 42-7 throttling of <strong>Missouri<\/strong>. The Tigers torched the heralded Missouri defense for a school record 642 yards. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/leonard-fournette-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Leonard Fournette<\/a> will be back for LSU after missing\u00a0last week.<\/p>\n<p>The Gators have struggled without quarterback <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/luke-del-rio-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luke Del Rio<\/a><\/strong> and they hope to have him back on Saturday. This should go down to the wire and LSU will go to 2-0 with Orgeron as head coach.<\/p>\n<p>LSU 27-24<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Auburn at Mississippi State\u00a0(NOON- SEC Network<\/strong>&#8211;<\/h3>\n<p>For the first time all season the Tigers will be playing a game away from the plains. Coach\u00a0<strong>Guz Malzahn&#8217;s<\/strong> team followed up their big win over LSU with a 58-7 dismantling of <strong>Louisiana-Monroe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>After a week off the Bulldogs have to win this game to have any chance of getting to six wins and a bowl game. This should be another close game and again the road team will win.<\/p>\n<p>Auburn 28-23<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tennessee at Texas A&amp;M- (3:30 CBS)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Vols have had to come from behind in four of their five wins this season. They\u00a0beat Georgia in one of the most exciting games in recent memory.\u00a0If you haven&#8217;t seen the Hail Mary or just want to relive it again here you go.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Josh Dobbs. Jauan Jennings. Hail Mary.<\/p>\n<p>VOLS WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!!!<br \/>VOLS WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!!!<\/p>\n<p>Rocky Top Can&#39;t Be Stopped. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TENNvsUGA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#TENNvsUGA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2ax4JrhDPd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/2ax4JrhDPd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; SEC Network (@SECNetwork) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SECNetwork\/status\/782359381006581760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 1, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Aggies were without four starters including defensive standout <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/myles-garrett-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Myles Garrett<\/a><\/strong> but were still able to beat <strong>South Carolina<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/kevin-sumlin-2.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Sumlin<\/a>&#8216;s<\/strong> team will need all of these players healthy to knock off the Vols.<\/p>\n<p>This will be the first time these two schools have ever played in <strong>College Station<\/strong>. Playing in front of the 12<sup>th<\/sup> Man, the Aggies will get to 6-0 for the first time since 1994.<\/p>\n<p>Texas A&amp;M 31-21<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Alabama at Arkansas- (7:00 ESPN)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If the Crimson Tide have any hopes of defending their <strong>NCAA Championship<\/strong> they will have to survive a brutal stretch of games that begins in <strong>Fayetteville<\/strong>. Following this game the <strong>Crimson Tide <\/strong>has to go to <strong>Tennessee<\/strong>, hosts <strong>Texas A&amp;M<\/strong> and then goes to<strong> LSU<\/strong> after a bye week.<\/p>\n<p>The Razorbacks are coming off a blowout over <strong>Alcorn State.<\/strong>\u00a0The feel they\u00a0can match up\u00a0 against the massive Alabama offensive line. As the <strong>Wildcats<\/strong> found out last week, that is easier said than done. The <strong>Razorbacks<\/strong> are 0-9 against Saban in his time in Tuscaloosa and after Saturday it will be 0-10.<\/p>\n<p>Alabama 35-20<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Georgia at South Carolina- (7:30 SEC Network<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n<p>There is a chance <strong>Hurricane Matthew<\/strong> could affect when this game\u00a0will be played. The game\u00a0will be a battle of two teams in desperate need of\u00a0a win. The Bulldogs have lost two straight after last week&#8217;s heartbreaker to Tennessee while the Gamecocks played Texas A&amp;M tough before losing 24-13.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/kirby-smart-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kirby Smart<\/a>&#8216;s club will get back on track pulling out a hard fought win.<\/p>\n<p>Georgia 24-17<\/p>\n<p><strong>Missouri<\/strong> and <strong>Ole Miss\u00a0<\/strong>have the week off. Thanks for reading see you next time.it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Moral Victory?? Most coaches\u00a0will never admit\u00a0there is no such thing as a moral victory, it is all in the wins and losses. However the Kentucky Wildcats performance against the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide would rank as just\u00a0that. Mark Stoops&#8216; club got out to an early 3-0 lead and the game was tied 3-3 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":877,"featured_media":1362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,35579],"tags":[184,21,126,415,96],"class_list":["post-1973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sec","category-kentucky-wildcats","tag-cfb","tag-kentucky-wildcats","tag-ncaa","tag-sec-east","tag-vanderbilt-commodores"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/877"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1973"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78770,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1973\/revisions\/78770"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}