Kentucky 17, Vanderbilt 7: Patrick Towles passed for one touchdown and rushed for another as the host Wildcats halted a 17-game conference losing streak.

Ryan Timmons caught a scoring pass for Kentucky (3-1, 1-1), which earned its SEC win under second-year coach Mike Stoops. Towles was 23-of-30 for 201 yards and one interception.

Wade Freebeck was 8-of-25 for 85 yards and three interceptions while starting in place of Patton Robinette for the Commodores (1-4, 0-3). Darrius Sims returned an interception 13 yards for a score for Vanderbilt’s lone touchdown.

The Wildcats struck first on a 13-play, 99-yard drive in which Timmons caught a 20-yard scoring pass from Towles with 6:10 left in the first quarter. Sims picked off Towles and scored with 10:19 remaining in the second quarter to tie the score.

Austin MacGinnis kicked a 44-yard field goal with 6:09 left in the half to give Kentucky a 10-7 lead. Towles scored on a 1-yard sneak with eight seconds left for a 10-point halftime lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: DBs Ashely Lowery, Marcus McWilson and A.J. Stamps each had interceptions for the Wildcats. … Robinette suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to South Carolina. … Kentucky’s previous SEC win was a 10-7 decision over Tennessee on Nov. 26, 2011.