SEC matchup features No. 13 Vanderbilt squaring off against Kentucky

By Canadian Press on November 16, 2025.

Kentucky (5-5) at No. 13 Vanderbilt (8-2), Nov. 22 at 3:30 p.m. EST.

How to watch: ESPN

Key stats

Vanderbilt Offense

Overall: 443.6 yards per game (24th in FBS)

Passing: 258.4 yards per game (40th)

Rushing: 185.2 yards per game (36th)

Scoring: 38.3 points per game (9th)

Vanderbilt Defense

Overall: 357.2 yards per game (56th in FBS)

Passing: 244.8 yards per game (106th)

Rushing: 112.4 yards per game (24th)

Scoring: 22.2 points per game (48th)

Kentucky Offense

Overall: 363.8 yards per game (83rd in FBS)

Passing: 203.9 yards per game (94th)

Rushing: 159.9 yards per game (63rd)

Scoring: 25.9 points per game (76th)

Kentucky Defense

Overall: 344.6 yards per game (50th in FBS)

Passing: 215.8 yards per game (60th)

Rushing: 128.8 yards per game (39th)

Scoring: 23.1 points per game (54th)

Kentucky is 95th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 41.6% of the time. Vanderbilt ranks 5th on offense, converting on 53.3% of third downs.

Kentucky ranks 107th in the FBS with a -5 turnover margin, compared to Vanderbilt’s 50th-ranked +2 margin.

Vanderbilt is 106th in the FBS averaging 61.7 penalty yards per game, compared to Kentucky’s 12th-ranked 37.3 per-game average.

Kentucky ranks 22nd in the FBS with an average time of possession of 32:02.

Team leaders

Vanderbilt

Passing: Diego Pavia, 2,440 yards, 21 TDs, 5 INTs, 70.0 completion percentage

Rushing: Pavia, 613 yards on 117 carries, 7 TDs

Receiving: Eli Stowers, 665 yards on 50 catches, 4 TDs

Kentucky

Passing: Cutter Boley, 1,780 yards, 13 TDs, 8 INTs, 68.8 completion percentage

Rushing: Seth McGowan, 693 yards on 153 carries, 12 TDs

Receiving: Kendrick Law, 519 yards on 47 catches, 3 TDs

Last game

Vanderbilt won 45-38 over Auburn on Saturday, Nov. 8. Pavia led Vanderbilt with 377 yards on 25-of-33 passing (75.8%) for three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 18 times for 112 yards and one rushing touchdown. Sedrick Alexander had 39 rushing yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns, adding one reception for 13 yards. Tre Richardson recorded 124 yards on three catches with one touchdown.

Kentucky won 42-10 over Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Nov. 15. Boley threw for 236 yards on 18-of-21 attempts (85.7%) with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also carried the ball three times for 24 yards and one rushing touchdown. Dante Dowdell carried the ball 13 times for 87 yards and scored one touchdown. Law put up 124 yards on 11 catches.

Next game

Vanderbilt plays at No. 21 Tennessee on Nov. 29. Kentucky plays at No. 19 Louisville on Nov. 29.

The Associated Press