We Speak College Football

Six Straight: No. 12 Kentucky Erases Early Hole to Beat Vanderbilt 34-17

Published

2 hours ago

October 25, 2026

Photo: Kentucky Football / Instagram

For the sixth straight week, Kentucky fell behind. For the sixth straight week, Kentucky won anyway. The No. 12 Wildcats spotted Vanderbilt a 10-0 lead, then scored on six consecutive possessions to win 34-17 on Saturday night at Kroger Field.

Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5 SEC) authored the perfect start: a 45-yard punt return by Martel Hight set up a field goal, and a 16-play, 95-yard drive ended with Jared Curtis’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Jayvontay Conner. Curtis, the Commodores’ true freshman quarterback, completed 27 of 36 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, and Junior Sherrill caught eight passes for 78 yards.

Kentucky’s answer came in waves. Kenny Minchey threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to DJ Miller, and tight end Willie Rodriguez lined up in the backfield, took a direct snap and scored from the 1 to give Kentucky a 14-10 halftime lead. A 75-yard drive out of the break ended in Brennen Ward’s rushing touchdown. Minchey finished 19-of-26 for 203 yards and also ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, while Rodriguez added six catches for 67 yards to go with his rushing score.

Curtis pulled Vanderbilt within 21-17 on a fourth-and-3 touchdown strike to Ja’Cory Thomas, but the finish belonged to Kentucky’s defense. Adam Zouagui kicked field goals of 47 and 32 yards — the second set up by a strip-sack of Curtis — and Ty Bryant’s fourth interception in three games set up Minchey’s late touchdown run. Kentucky outgained Vanderbilt 376-262 and closed the game on a 13-0 run.

At 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC, Kentucky is off to its best league start since 1977 and has won five straight conference games for the first time since that season. Vanderbilt has lost five in a row and remains winless in SEC play.

Photo: Jordan Prather / Imagn Images

We Speak College Football

Texas Holds On This Time: Longhorns Survive Ole Miss Comeback 34-27

Published

2 hours ago

October 25, 2026

We Speak Media

Photo: Texas Football / Instagram

Texas blew the whole lead — a 24-3 halftime cushion, gone. This time, the Longhorns finished. Arch Manning ran for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and the Texas defense intercepted a Hail Mary on the final play as No. 19 Texas survived No. 7 Ole Miss 34-27 on Saturday night in Austin.

For a half, Texas (5-2, 2-2 SEC) looked like the best team in the country. After the teams traded field goals, Manning scored on a 2-yard run, ripped a 50-yard touchdown bomb to Ryan Wingo and watched Michael Terry III add a 2-yard touchdown run for a 24-3 halftime lead. Manning threw for 171 yards in the first half while the Texas defense intercepted Trinidad Chambliss twice — the second by Rasheem Biles at the goal line when Ole Miss gambled on fourth down instead of kicking a short field goal before the break.

The collapse came fast. On the first play of the second half, Manning was strip-sacked and the fumble bounced into the end zone, where Kam Franklin fell on it for an Ole Miss touchdown. Chambliss then hit Horatio Fields for touchdown passes of 6 and 27 yards, and the game was tied 24-24 early in the fourth quarter. Chambliss finished 25-of-52 for 250 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions; Manning threw for 212 yards with two interceptions and the lost fumble — three turnovers that nearly sank Texas again.

Instead, Texas leaned on its ground game, running the ball almost exclusively the rest of the way. Raleek Brown ripped off a 47-yard run to spark an 80-yard drive that Manning finished himself, high-stepping into the end zone on a 1-yard bootleg to restore the lead at 31-24 with 8:04 left. The Longhorns then blocked Lucas Carneiro’s 58-yard field goal attempt, and Gianni Spetic’s 33-yard field goal pushed the margin to 34-24 with 2:25 to play.

Carneiro’s 39-yard field goal cut it to 34-27 with 1:25 left, and Ole Miss (5-2, 3-2) recovered the onside kick to set up one final shot. Safety Jelani McDonald intercepted Chambliss’ Hail Mary in the end zone as time expired. Texas avoided a third straight loss — and a third straight blown lead — behind 419 total yards and 207 rushing yards, though both teams lost key players to shoulder injuries: Texas receiver Cam Coleman and Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy.

Photo: Scott Wachter / Imagn Images