<body><div>LEXINGTON - Most times when <a href="https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/">Kentucky</a> and <a href="https://247sports.com/college/vanderbilt/">Vanderbilt</a> fans like to look ahead to see whose next on the schedule. Not this year.Vanderbilt comes to Lexington Saturday fresh off a stunning 40-35 upset victory over No. 1 ranked <a href="https://247sports.com/college/alabama/">Alabama</a> in Nashville', its first win over an AP Top 5 ranked team in program history.The result has Kentucky's coaches, players and fan base on notice as it prepares to take on the Wildcats."Coming into this press conference I don't have to worry about selling Vanderbilt anymore and telling you how good they are, how good Clark Lea has done," UK head coach Mark Stoops said at his weekly press conference Monday. "I have a lot of respect for Clark and what he has done and been building for some time. Of course, they beat us not long ago (2022) so I know what he's capable of and what type of quality person and coach he is and the job that he's doing at Vanderbilt."What did Stoops, his coordinators and some of his players think of the shocking upset win by the Commodores? Here are their reactions:<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0hNfnd_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0hNfnd_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Getty)</figcaption></figure>Head Coach <a href="https://247sports.com/Coach/mark-stoops-43/">Mark Stoops</a>: "Congratulations to them, to see some of that hard work paying off, getting such a big victory this past week."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3xVnLj_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3xVnLj_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: UK Athletics )</figcaption></figure>Offensive Coordinator <a href="https://247sports.com/coach/Bush-Hamdan-1470">Bush Hamdan</a>: The reaction is across college football more so than anything in the SEC right now, every game can go either way, in a lot of those ways. You're certainly happy for Vanderbilt to accomplish what they accomplished as just a football fan, watching it. What a win for them, and probably how much work they've put in, but certainly watching them on both sides of the ball, the way they're playing, how inspired they're playing, it's going to be a great challenge for us and I think that's the message you look across the board in this league, if you're feeling yourself one week, you could get hit in the mouth and when you're coming off <a href="https://247sports.com/college/south-carolina/">South Carolina</a> and the world's crashing, you get right back to work and switch things up. That's the message: a constant state of improvement. One week at a time is a long year, and these players have done a hell of a job with that."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2qIxya_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2qIxya_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Getty)</figcaption></figure>Defensive Coordinator <a href="https://247sports.com/Coach/brad-white-4065/">Brad White</a>: "We talked about it last week before they even played Alabama. They were two plays away going into that game from being 4-0 going into the game. So if you think about it, they're two plays away, essentially in the <a href="https://247sports.com/college/missouri/">Missouri</a> game and the <a href="https://247sports.com/college/georgia-state/">Georgia State</a> game, from being 5-0. So no, there was no fluke. There was nothing about that that was really surprising. ,When you watch the tape and you watch them, you understand why they're able to do what they do. It's a great scheme with really good football players executing at a really high level and playing with great passion. You saw on the very first drive of that Alabama game, there was nobody on that field that was afraid to be on that field. They wanted every bit of that smoke in that situation, and they're going to want every bit on Saturday." <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4DJwt4_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4DJwt4_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Photo by Carly Mackler, Getty)</figcaption></figure>Wide Receiver <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/barion-brown-46096621/">Barion Brown</a>: "I was currently in Nashville, just catching up with some of the family, and I was watching the game, dozed off a little bit, woke up, and it was a dog fight. I was just how y'all was, shocked, locked in watching a good game."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=364nMS_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=364nMS_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Jeff Moreland, Getty)</figcaption></figure>Tight End <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/josh-kattus-46097462/">Josh Kattus</a>: "It was a great win by Vandy. They're doing great things over there, have got some great players, the quarterback (<a href="https://247sports.com/Player/diego-pavia-46080494/">Diego Pavia</a>) is playing pretty well. So we're really excited about the challenge, but we're focused on ourselves. We recognize that every SEC game we play is going to be challenging. So we're excited for the challenge. We know they're going to bring it." <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=10LnRf_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=10LnRf_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Petre Thomas, USA TODAY Sports)</figcaption></figure>Cornerback <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/DJ-Waller-Jr-46133841">DJ Waller Jr.</a>: It was a good game. Vandy played good. Bama played good, and Vandy was the best team that day. I think everybody was surprised by that game. I was." <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Fl8gH_0w11k83g00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Fl8gH_0w11k83g00" width="620" height="320" ><figcaption>(Photo: Carter Skaggs, USA TODAY Sports)</figcaption></figure>Linebacker <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/jamon-dumas-johnson-46085991/">Jamon Dumas-Johnson</a>: I was surprised Alabama wasn't able to make adjustments, change what was happening, or try to figure out a way to stop Vandy. Their favorite play, which is the triple option. Very surprised that Bama didn't go into halftime changing things." </div></body>

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Kentucky coaches, players react to Vanderbilt's upset win over No. 1 Alabama

LEXINGTON - Most times when Kentucky and Vanderbilt fans like to look ahead to see whose next on the schedule. Not this year. Vanderbilt comes to Lexington Saturday fresh off a stunning 40-35 upset victory over No. 1 ranked Alabama in Nashville', its first win over an AP Top 5 ranked team in program history.

Kentucky coaches, players react to Vanderbilt's upset win over No. 1 Alabama

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