Two years ago, Vanderbilt Stadium was the site of Mark Stoops’ personal nightmare.
Vanderbilt snookered the Kentucky coach with a trick play that went for a touchdown. A week after swearing off fourth-down gambles, Stoops watched as his offense threw a no-chance bomb on fourth-and-1 from near midfield.
Not once, but twice UK lacked the physicality to punch the ball into the end zone from the shadows of the Vandy goal post.
In a game where victory would have all but assured Kentucky of bowl eligibility, UK instead took a gut-wrenching 21-17 defeat and, ultimately, stayed home for the holidays.