# Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry

The Kentucky–Vanderbilt football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Kentucky Wildcats football team of the University of Kentucky and Vanderbilt Commodores football team of Vanderbilt University. The rivalry between these two schools, located about 181 miles (291 km) apart, dates to their first meeting in 1896. They are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and were both members of the SEC's Eastern Division with a total of 97 meetings. This rivalry is Kentucky's second longest behind Tennessee and Vanderbilt's third behind Ole Miss and Tennessee. Kentucky leads the series 48–44–4.
41 of the 97 games have been decided by 7 points or less. Kentucky has shut out Vanderbilt 6 times, while Vanderbilt has shut out Kentucky 15 times, 10 of which were from 1896 to 1920. The rivalry is one of the most evenly matched in the SEC.

## History
### First game (1896)

The first game between Vanderbilt and Kentucky (then known as Kentucky State) was played in Nashville on October 10, 1896. Vanderbilt won the first game, 6–0, with Vanderbilt's captain and fullback, Connel, making a touchdown and kicking the goal after touchdown.

### Early dominance by Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt dominated the series in the early years of competition. Between 1896 and 1938, the programs played 17 games. Vanderbilt won 16 of those games, the only exception being a scoreless tie in 1919.
In 1916, the dedication for Stoll Field was celebrated during the Kentucky-Vanderbilt game.
In 1921, after being shut out by Vanderbilt in 11 consecutive games, Kentucky scored two touchdowns but lost by a 21–14 score.

### Kentucky's first victory (1939)

On October 7, 1939, Kentucky won its first game in the series, defeating Vanderbilt by a 21–13 score before a crowd of 10,000 in Nashville. The Wildcats were led by the passing and running of sophomore Ermal Allen. Kentucky quarterback Joe Shepherd also intercepted a Vanderbilt pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown.

## Game results

Series record sources: College Football Data Warehouse.
| Kentucky victories | Vanderbilt victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | October 10, 1896 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 6–0 |
| 2 | October 30, 1897 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 50–0 |
| 3 | October 5, 1901 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 22–0 |
| 4 | October 6, 1906 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 28–0 |
| 5 | October 5, 1907 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 40–0 |
| 6 | November 11, 1911 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 18–0 |
| 7 | October 14, 1916 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 45–0 |
| 8 | October 20, 1917 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 5–0 |
| 9 | November 2, 1918 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 33–0 |
| 10 | November 1, 1919 | Lexington, KY | Tie | 0–0 |
| 11 | October 30, 1920 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 20–0 |
| 12 | October 15, 1921 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 21–14 |
| 13 | November 11, 1922 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 9–0 |
| 14 | October 29, 1927 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 34–6 |
| 15 | November 3, 1928 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 14–7 |
| 16 | September 25, 1937 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 12–0 |
| 17 | October 8, 1938 | Lexington, TN | Vanderbilt | 14–7 |
| 18 | October 7, 1939 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 21–13 |
| 19 | October 12, 1940 | Nashville, TN | Tie | 7–7 |
| 20 | October 11, 1941 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 39–15 |
| 21 | October 10, 1942 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 7–6 |
| 22 | October 20, 1945 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 19–6 |
| 23 | October 19, 1946 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 10–7 |
| 24 | October 18, 1947 | Nashville, TN | #20 Kentucky | 14–0 |
| 25 | October 16, 1948 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 26–7 |
| 26 | November 7, 1953 | Nashville, TN | #14 Kentucky | 40–14 |
| 27 | November 6, 1954 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 19–7 |
| 28 | November 5, 1955 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 34–0 |
| 29 | November 10, 1956 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 7–6 |
| 30 | November 9, 1957 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 12–7 |
| 31 | November 8, 1958 | Lexington, KY | Tie | 0–0 |
| 32 | November 7, 1959 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 11–6 |
| 33 | November 5, 1960 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 27–0 |
| 34 | November 11, 1961 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 16–3 |
| 35 | November 10, 1962 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 7–0 |
| 36 | November 9, 1963 | Nashville, TN | Tie | 0–0 |
| 37 | November 7, 1964 | Lexington, TN | Kentucky | 22–21 |
| 38 | November 6, 1965 | Nashville, TN | #10 Kentucky | 34–0 |
| 39 | November 5, 1966 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 14–10 |
| 40 | November 11, 1967 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 12–7 |
| 41 | November 9, 1968 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 6–0 |
| 42 | November 8, 1969 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 42–6 |
| 43 | November 7, 1970 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 18–17 |
| 44 | November 6, 1971 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 14–7 |
| 45 | November 11, 1972 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 14–13 |
| 46 | November 10, 1973 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 27–17 |
| 47 | November 9, 1974 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 38–12 |
| 48 | November 8, 1975 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 13–3 |
| 49 | November 6, 1976 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 14–0 |
| 50 | November 5, 1977 | Nashville, TN | #7 Kentucky | 28–6 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 51 | November 11, 1978 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 53–2 |
| 52 | November 10, 1979 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 29–10 |
| 53 | November 8, 1980 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 31–10 |
| 54 | November 7, 1981 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 17–10 |
| 55 | November 6, 1982 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 23–10 |
| 56 | November 5, 1983 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 17–8 |
| 57 | November 10, 1984 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 27–18 |
| 58 | November 9, 1985 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 31–24 |
| 59 | November 8, 1986 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 34–22 |
| 60 | November 7, 1987 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 38–29 |
| 61 | November 5, 1988 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 14–13 |
| 62 | November 11, 1989 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 15–11 |
| 63 | November 10, 1990 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 28–21 |
| 64 | November 9, 1991 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 17–7 |
| 65 | November 7, 1992 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 20–7 |
| 66 | November 6, 1993 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 12–7 |
| 67 | November 5, 1994 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 24–6 |
| 68 | November 4, 1995 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 14–10 |
| 69 | November 16, 1996 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 25–0 |
| 70 | November 15, 1997 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 21–10 |
| 71 | November 14, 1998 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 55–17 |
| 72 | November 13, 1999 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 19–17 |
| 73 | November 11, 2000 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 24–20 |
| 74 | November 10, 2001 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 56–30 |
| 75 | November 16, 2002 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 41–21 |
| 76 | November 15, 2003 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 28–17 |
| 77 | November 13, 2004 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 14–13 |
| 78 | November 12, 2005 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 48–43 |
| 79 | November 11, 2006 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 38–26 |
| 80 | November 10, 2007 | Nashville, TN | #24 Kentucky | 27–20 |
| 81 | November 15, 2008 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 31–24 |
| 82 | November 14, 2009 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 24–13 |
| 83 | November 13, 2010 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 38–20 |
| 84 | November 12, 2011 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 38–8 |
| 85 | November 3, 2012 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 40–0 |
| 86 | November 16, 2013 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 22–6 |
| 87 | September 27, 2014 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 17–7 |
| 88 | November 14, 2015 | Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt | 21–17 |
| 89 | October 8, 2016 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 20–13 |
| 90 | November 11, 2017 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 44–21 |
| 91 | October 20, 2018 | Lexington, KY | #14 Kentucky | 14–7 |
| 92 | November 16, 2019 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 38–14 |
| 93 | November 14, 2020 | Lexington, KY | Kentucky | 38–35 |
| 94 | November 13, 2021 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 34–17 |
| 95 | November 12, 2022 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 24–21 |
| 96 | September 23, 2023 | Nashville, TN | Kentucky | 45–28 |
| 97 | October 12, 2024 | Lexington, KY | Vanderbilt | 20–13 |
| Series: Kentucky leads 48–44–4 |||||
| *Kentucky vacated all 2021 wins in August 2024. |||||