This is the ultimate high-stakes showdown.
For Kentucky (5-5), the mission is simple: secure a fourth straight win, earn bowl eligibility, and put a definitive stamp on Mark Stoops' job security.
For No. 14 Vanderbilt (8-2), the mission is historic: win to keep their long-shot College Football Playoff hopes alive and go 6-0 at home for the first time since 1982.
Kentucky heads to Nashville as the ultimate spoiler in a game that means everything for both sides.
The disrespectful spread
Vegas has made its opinion clear: they don't believe in the Cats' recent three-game win streak.
The opening betting line for this rivalry game is a massive line for a team fighting for a bowl. Vanderbilt is currently a 9.5-point favorite (-9.5), with the Moneyline favoring the Dores at -365 (meaning you have to bet $365 to win $100) on FanDuel. The total points line is set at 53.5.
That 9.5-point spread is an insult the Cats should be taking personally. Despite Kentucky’s success against Auburn and Florida, Vegas views this Dores team, led by the terrifying Diego Pavia, as overwhelmingly superior.
How to watch Kentucky vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt
The initial confusion about the channel has been cleared up. Here is the full guide for the SEC clash:
- Date and Time: Saturday, November 22, at 3:30 PM ET
- Location: FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Announcers: Mark Jones (PBP), Roddy Jones (Analyst), Quint Kessenich (Sideline)
- Streaming: ESPN App / ESPN+
- Radio: UK Sports Radio Network
- Online: Stream live at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630.
- Local FM/AM Stations:
- Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP
- Louisville: 840 AM WHAS
- London: 103.9 FM WWEL
- Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS
- Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG
You can stream the game on services that carry ESPN including: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV,FuboTV, Sling TV (Orange Plan)
The stakes: Bowl or bust vs. CFP or collapse
🏈 Vanderbilt’s mission: Keep the dream alive
Vandy is in the CFP hunt. A loss to Kentucky eliminates any possibility of the Commodores reaching the 12-team bracket. They must win to reach 9-2 before their final showdown with Tennessee. The pressure for this historic season is immense.
🏈 Kentucky’s mission: The spoiler
The Cats are playing for bowl eligibility and the future of the football program. A win in Nashville against a ranked, historic Vandy team would be the ultimate statement that the three-game win streak was real, and that Mark Stoops still has the answers when the pressure is highest.
Series history: The current Vandy edge
While Kentucky holds the all-time series edge (48-44-4), the recent trend is a massive point of concern: Vanderbilt has won 2 of the last 3 meetings, including a win last season.
This is not the Vandy of the past. The Cats are walking into a house where the Dores are 6-0 this year, and they fully expect to win. To survive, Kentucky must win the toughness battle, something that has been a defining trait of the Stoops era. They are playing for far more than a trophy: they are playing for their season.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion