The Kentucky Wildcats fell 20-13 to Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores on a mistake-ridden Saturday night for Mark Stoops’ team at Kroger Field in Lexington.
The loss was Kentucky’s sixth straight at home in SEC play dating back to last year’s 33-14 win over the Florida Gators, who the Wildcats (3-3 overall, 1-3 SEC) will face next Saturday.
Pavia, the toast of college football after leading Vanderbilt (4-2, 2-1) to a historic 40-35 upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in Nashville a week earlier, completed all but three passes in a 15-of-18 performance for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Pavia threw his first interception of the year when D’Eryk Jackson came down with a pick in the second quarter.
But it was the mistakes Kentucky made that stood out the most on this night instead of anything Pavia did.
Midway through the third quarter, with Vanderbilt leading 17-7, Kentucky drove to the Commodores’ 1-yard line only to see a false start penalty push them back to the 6.
Two plays later, on fourth down, punter and holder Wilson Berry fumbled a snap on a would-be chip shot field goal for Alex Raynor that would have made it a one-score game. Berry was forced to scramble and attempt an ill-fated pass that was intercepted.
It was a mere microcosm of the unforced errors Kentucky made in its latest home dud against an SEC opponent. The Wildcats were penalized 12 times for 105 yards.
Pavia led the Commodores on a 97-yard touchdown drive on their first possession that was fueled in part by another self-inflicted Kentucky wound.
With the Commodores at their own 15-yard line, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was flagged 15 yards for roughing the passer. The penalty gave Vanderbilt a first down at the 30-yard line. Later, Pavia ended the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to AJ Newberry.
Brock Vandagriff was 15-of-25 for 158 yards and a touchdown pass. His 22-yard touchdown toss to Dane Key came in the fourth quarter and cut the Vanderbilt lead to 20-13, but Berry dropped the snap on the extra point try and had to scramble.
Tailback Demie Sumo-Karngbaye had his fourth rushing touchdown of the season — and the Wildcats’ first score of the night. He capped a 12-play, 78-yard drive that spanned 6:02 with a one-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.
Vanderbilt never trailed in Saturday’s contest. The Commodores won their second straight in Lexington after knocking off the Wildcats, 24-21, in November 2022.
Next Up
The Wildcats will head to Gainesville for a scheduled 7:45 p.m. ET kickoff (SEC Network) against the Florida Gators in Week 8. Billy Napier’s team fell 23-17 in overtime to the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium Saturday night.