Against all odds, Kentucky football is 7-1 after beating Vanderbilt 34-17 on Saturday night. The win, along with a Georgia Bulldogs bye, puts the Wildcats in sole possession of first place in the SEC, and continues an improbable start for Will Stein and his squad.
A slow start threatened to turn the game into another big SEC upset. Kentucky fell behind 10-0 as the offense took a little time to get going. Once they did, though, they rolled, outscoring the Commodores 34-7 the rest of the way, giving fans another night to celebrate.
The Wildcats got key performances from the usual suspects. Kenny Minchey played a clean, efficient game, throwing for 200 yards and a touchdown. Kenny Darby continued his terrific freshman campaign, and Willie Rodriguez
continued to show he's one of the nation's top tight ends. On defense, Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace and Ty Bryant each had huge plays, as they have all season.
So, after week eight, whose stock is up, and whose is down? Here's a look at this week's stock report for the Kentucky football team.
Stock down: Kentucky 1st quarter offense
It is officially a trend at this point. The Wildcats have started nearly all of their games slowly, especially on the offensive side of the ball. It's not a good trend, though they've managed to overcome it. Oddly enough, the game they got out to the best start in was against the Alabama Crimson Tide, and they lost that one.
Stock up: Kentucky middle eight offense
Kentucky has done a lot right this season, but one of the key ones is their dominance of the last four minutes of the first half, and first four minutes of the second half. Against Vanderbilt, they trailed 10-7 entering the middle eight, but led 21-10 coming out of it. It has been a big part of their identity this season.
Stock up: Jamarrion Harkless
Nose tackles don't often make a lot of splash plays, but Harkless has quietly been a huge part of Kentucky's success. He is terrific against the run, and on Saturday he added pass rusher his list of accolades. He also became an internet sensation after the sack, and is getting much-deserved attention for his quality play.
Stock up: Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace
It's hard for Humphrey-Grace's stock to get much higher, but he managed it anyway. Against Vanderbilt, he recorded 5 tackles, all solo, 2 tackles for a loss, a sack, his fifth of the year, and forced a fumble. His draft stock is rising quickly as well.
Stock up: Ty Bryant
Speaking of rising NFL draft stock, Bryant continues to make big plays and impress with his instincts and ball skills. He now has 4 interceptions on the season, which leads the SEC. His leadership has been just as important, and he and Jordan Castell continue to make a dynamic pair at safety.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Stock up, stock down from Kentucky's win over Vanderbilt
