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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Kentucky has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. Under first-year head coach Will Stein, the Wildcats have surged to a 6-1 record, climbed to No. 12 in the AP Top 25, and put themselves firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. Their only loss came against Alabama in Week 2, but they've now rattled off five straight wins.
Kentucky has already picked up impressive wins over Texas A&M, South Carolina, LSU, and Oklahoma, but Saturday brings another test: SEC rival Vanderbilt. The Commodores have struggled this season, dropping four straight to sit 3-4 on the season, but the Wildcats can't afford to get too comfortable with how many upsets we've seen in recent weeks.
Thankfully, Kentucky just received some huge news on star running back CJ Baxter. According to On3's Pete Nakos, Baxter has officially been removed from the SEC's injury report and is on track to play Saturday against Vanderbilt. Baxter missed last week's win over Oklahoma while dealing with a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Nic Anderson, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the game.
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Baxter, a senior transfer from Texas, is Kentucky's leading running back, having already produced 484 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 87 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, along with 62 receiving yards on seven catches. His best game came against South Alabama when he rushed for 149 yards and one touchdown on just 16 carries (9.3 yards per carry). He later ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns against LSU.
Without him against Oklahoma, Kentucky ran for just 72 total rushing yards and put up just 21 points in the win, their second-lowest scoring total of the season. Jason Patterson and Jovantae Barnes helped fill the void, but Baxter is the more proven lead back who can wear down defenses, pick up tough yards, and take pressure off quarterback Kenny Minchey.
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Kentucky has put itself in a good position to make the CFP, but there's still more work to do. Saturday's game against Vanderbilt is important for the Wildcats to protect their winning streak and build momentum with a tough stretch of games ahead.
After the Commodores, Kentucky will head to No. 11 Tennessee, host No. 20 Florida and travel to No. 22 Missouri before their season closer against rival Louisville.
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