Vanderbilt football vs. Kentucky: Scouting report, score prediction

Aria Gerson, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

Vanderbilt football heads to Lexington on Saturday, running out of chances to prevent a third straight winless conference season. The Commodores (3-6, 0-5 SEC) face their last road game of the season against Kentucky (6-3, 3-3) on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, SEC Network).

Here's what to know about the matchup:

Health concerns

Vanderbilt is dealing with depleted numbers at several positions, particularly the offensive line. Ben Cox and Xavier Castillo are out with injuries, and there is doubt whether Cox will be able to return this season. Quarterback AJ Swann is also out this week, though not necessarily for the season, with Mike Wright starting. A flu outbreak has also gone through the team — though it's unclear who, if any, specific players may be affected.

Defensive lineman Daevion Davis, though he has returned to practice, will also not play against Kentucky, and running back Chase Gillespie will likely be available in an emergency, but the coaching staff is hoping to preserve his redshirt at this point.

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Levis an NFL prospect

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis is considered an NFL first-round draft prospect. He has completed 68% of his passes this season and is averaging 9.1 yards per attempt with 16 touchdowns, though he also has eight interceptions and has had struggles with sacks and ball security.

The Wildcats' offense runs through Levis. Without him, they lost to South Carolina in October.

Wintry weather for game day?

Vanderbilt will play its first true cold-weather game of the season in Lexington, as the forecasted high temperature is just 48 degrees with a potential for rain.

The weather could affect the offense and special teams, making scoring harder. That could benefit the Commodores' up and down defense, and perhaps the cold will play to Wright's strengths as a runner.

Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky score prediction

Kentucky 30, Vanderbilt 17: Depleted personnel on offense combined with the cold weather will make it difficult for the Commodores to score.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football vs. Kentucky score prediction, scouting report

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