page_title: 1922 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
section_title: Week 7: Kentucky
hierarchical_section_title: 1922 Vanderbilt Commodores football team / Season summary / Week 7: Kentucky
caption_attribution_description: English: Image of Scotty Neil, punter and end for Vanderbilt University's football team.
context_page_description: The 1922 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1922 Southern Conference football season. During the season, Dan McGugin's 18th as head coach, Vanderbilt compiled a record of 8–0–1 and outscored its opponents 177 to 16. The Commodores' defense was unrivaled in the South, leading the nation in giving up just 1.8 points per game, none of them at home. The season included a tie with Michigan at the dedication of the new Dudley Field; the first stadium in the South to be used exclusively for college football. The season was immediately dubbed one of the best in Vanderbilt and Southern football history.
  It was also Vanderbilt's first year in the newly formed Southern Conference, in which the team tied with North Carolina and Georgia Tech for the conference championship. This was Vanderbilt's second consecutive season as leader of its conference, having tied with Georgia, Centre, and Georgia Tech for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in 1921.
context_section_description: In the seventh week of play, Vanderbilt beat the Kentucky Wildcats in a "hard fought battle" by a 9–0 score. Although Vanderbilt was favored, a tough match was expected.  Freddie Meiers was the star of the contest.
  Lynn Bomar's kickoff, fielded by Turner Gregg, was returned to the 16-yard line. Three runs from Kentucky gained nine yards (8.2 m), and on fourth down the Wildcats punted the ball out of bounds at midfield. After the punt, Vanderbilt moved deeper into Kentucky territory. The drive started poorly; Doc Kuhn lost yards on a run around end. The next play was the beginning of Vanderbilt's success—Freddie Meiers had an eight-yard (7.3 m) run. Then on a fake kick, Bomar ran around the end for 5 yards (4.6 m). On the next play, an 18-yard (16 m) drop kick by Henry Wakefield split the uprights. Kentucky drove to Vanderbilt's 20-yard line on the next possession. Any attempt to move further was stopped by Vanderbilt's defense, and a 35-yard (32 m) dropkick from Gregg missed.
  The Commodore's first drive of the second quarter centered around Kuhn, Meiers, and Jess Neely; but after reaching Kentucky's 35-yard line the ball was turned over on downs. Kentucky eventually punted away. The next series saw a 70-yard (64 m) drive from Vanderbilt. With fourth down on the one-yard line, Meiers punched it in for the touchdown. Wakefield's try was missed. A later punt by the Wildcats saw Kuhn return the ball 43 yards (39 m), tackled by the last man before the end zone—Kentucky's punter Gregg. The half ended before Vandy could use this to score.
  Vanderbilt's play in the third quarter was hampered by fumbles. The ball was kicked off to Kuhn for a 12-yard (11 m) return. Meiers then fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Kentucky. During the ensuing possession, Vanderbilt jumped offside. Vanderbilt's defense made up for the Commodores' poor situation. Kentucky tried an end run that resulted in a loss of three yards (2.7 m) and on the next play a pass was intercepted by Bomar. The next Vanderbilt drive seemed promising with an average of more than five yards (4.6 m) per play, until Vanderbilt again fumbled the ball away. The Vanderbilt defense once more came to the rescue; Kentucky could not get 10 yards (9.1 m) and the ball went over on downs.
  The final quarter saw Kentucky attempt a hurried comeback led by forward passes. Only one was completed; a 30-yard (27 m) pass from Fuller to Hollowell. Vanderbilt sent in Gil Reese for Meiers, and Reese closed out the game. One play was a 35-yard (32 m) run; Reese failed to score because Kentucky's Brewer tackled his feet from behind. At Kentucky's 35-yard (32 m) line the drive was stalled with a turnover on downs.
  At the end of the week, Vanderbilt was the only undefeated team left in the South; VMI had lost to North Carolina. The following week, Kentucky hosted the high-scoring Alabama Crimson Tide squad and was the only team of the season to hold that team scoreless.
  The starting lineup was: Bomar (left end), Bradford (left tackle), Lawrence (left guard), Sharp (center), Kelly (right guard), Morrow (right tackle), Sc. Neill (right end), Kuhn (quarterback), Meiers (left halfback), Neely (right halfback), and Wakefield (fullback)
caption: Scotty Neill, punter and end
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