How Kentucky Stacks Up vs. Vandy: A 166-Yard Run Game Is the Edge

No. 12 Kentucky (6-1 record, 4-1 in the SEC) and Vanderbilt (3-4 record, 0-4 in the SEC) are headed in opposite directions. The Cats have won five straight, two of them in overtime. The Commodores have lost four in a row. Here's how the two teams compare going into tonight's 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Kroger Field. All season numbers are from ESPN.

THE OFFENSES
Scoring: Kentucky 32.7 points per game, Vanderbilt 23.6.
Total offense: Kentucky 387.9 yards per game, Vanderbilt 354.3.
Rushing: Kentucky 166.1 yards per game, Vanderbilt 119.1.
Passing: Vanderbilt 235.1 yards per game, Kentucky 221.7.

THE DEFENSES
Points allowed: Kentucky 25.9 per game, Vanderbilt 29.7.
Rushing yards allowed: Kentucky 127.3 per game, Vanderbilt 146.3.
Passing yards allowed: Vanderbilt 219.3 per game, Kentucky 249.7.

THE QUARTERBACKS
Kenny Minchey has been steady all year: 141 of 206 for 1,552 yards, 13 touchdowns and one interception. Vanderbilt is starting five-star freshman Jared Curtis because Blaze Berlowitz is out with a collarbone injury. Curtis is 101 of 161 for 1,242 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

THE PLAYMAKERS
Kentucky: CJ Baxter leads the team with 484 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and he's cleared to play tonight. Kenny Darby leads in receiving with 34 catches for 436 yards. Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace has four sacks, and Grant Godfrey leads with 67 tackles.
Vanderbilt: Junior Sherrill is the big-play threat with 41 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns. Sedrick Alexander has 270 rushing yards and five touchdowns, Nick Rinaldi has 3.5 sacks and CJ Heard leads with 51 tackles.

THE LINE
DraftKings (via ESPN) has Kentucky as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5. ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Cats an 84.8 percent chance to win.

Our Take: this one sets up for the Kentucky ground game. Vanderbilt gives up 146 rushing yards a game, and Baxter is back alongside Jason Patterson and Jovantae Barnes. If the Cats run it well, Curtis has to win the game throwing, and he has seven interceptions this year. Kentucky's pass defense still has to handle Sherrill, though.

Full injury breakdown: Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt injury report

Sources: ESPN game page, Sports Illustrated Vanderbilt game central, On3 SEC availability report, UK Athletics schedule, UK Athletics football roster