Herald-Leader UK football reporter Jon Hale provides his final thoughts and prediction for UK versus Vanderbilt.

It should be a good game, and it could decide the SEC Championship. Here’s the Kentucky vs Vanderbilt preview, prediction, and betting lines.

Vanderbilt will hold its senior day celebration prior to the matchup at FirstBank Stadium Nov. 20 (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN). That celebration will include star quarterback Diego Pavia, who has stated that he is not pursuing extra eligibility and this will be his final year of college football.

It's Kentucky vs Vanderbilt in Week 13 of the 2025 college football season. Who wins? Our Kentucky football prediction and pick for the SEC game.

The difference for Stoops is that the SEC is not the Big Ten West. It's much harder to find and maintain footing in the SEC.

Kentucky embarks on a pivotal Week 13 journey to Nashville, where they will face No. 14 Vanderbilt. The Wildcats are not only vying for bowl eligibility with a victory in the Music City but also aim to thwart the Commodores ' aspirations for a spot in the college football playoff.

Here's what Clark Lea said about addressing coaching rumors with Vanderbilt football after being connected to other jobs.

It was the home loss to Vanderbilt in 2022 — one day after Kentucky signed Stoops to a contract extension — that began the downward spiral in results for the Wildcats. Two years later, Vanderbilt defeated Kentucky again in Lexington, sending a message that the perennial SEC cellar dwellers had flipped spots in the league’s pecking order again.

It may not be a high-profile matchup like Vanderbilt’s games against Alabama, Missouri or Texas, but Saturday is a tricky game that should have the attention of Vanderbilt this weekend against Kentucky.