"It was a home game we were favored to win. A win would have put us in great position," Peters said. "We had people, myself included, who did overlook Mississippi State a little bit. We had already counted it as a win. But now we have to move on and get over it."
That's the attitude Kentucky coach Rich Brooks says his team better have against Vanderbilt even though the Commodores have won only two games this year.
"I don't think it does anybody any good two games removed to be thinking backwards," Brooks said.
He also says it does no good to think of Vanderbilt as a guaranteed win, either.
"I don't know when it was an automatic win for Kentucky. It never was," Brooks said. "Sometimes perception and reality are two different things when it comes to this series. It has been a very, very competitive series historically."
Brooks noted how UK lost at Vanderbilt by 10 points in 2003 and then won the next four games by a combined 25 points. Last year Vanderbilt won by seven points in Lexington.
"This is a series and a game that has been as close as it can be year in, year out," Brooks said.
Peters knows Vanderbilt would like nothing better than to spoil UK's season by knocking off the Cats and derailing UK's bowl chances.
"They are dangerous. I think they can play loose. They did against Florida. They have nothing to lose. They are playing to spoil things for other teams," Peters said. "But we may feel we owe them something from last year, too. That left a bad taste in our mouth. That was a game we should have won and didn't.
"All I know is that we need to finish strong. We can still win seven or eight games. We have a lot of injuries, but that's no excuse. We can finish on a strong note if we play the way we can and we know that. But we also know you can't just put this game down as a win. They always play us tough and they have played some good teams really tough this year. It's just up to us to make sure we get this win."
Newton named: Quarterback Morgan Newton was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week after completing 20 of 29 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, both career highs, in last week's 37-12 win over Eastern Kentucky.
Newton guided the team into scoring territory on six of the seven possessions he played.
"I think the Morgan Newton you saw Saturday was light years away from the Morgan Newton you saw in the Auburn game. That progress has been evident in practice the last two weeks," Brooks said.
"I see a guy that has always had some confidence but had trouble adjusting to the speed of the decision making. He's always had an arm but when you worry about not getting sacked and getting the ball out it comes out of your hand funny, which it has on occasion.
"For most part because it didn't happen as fast (against Eastern Kentucky) as it would in a SEC game, you saw tight spirals, rifle shots and much better accuracy and decision making Whatever happens the rest of the year, he has advanced his progression a lot for the future."
Could he be as good as any quarterback Brooks has had?
"I don't think anybody can predict that. You don't know how much progression he will make. He has the potential to be as good as wants to be or can be, but he still has a long way to go."
Kickoff set: Kentucky's game at Georgia Nov. 21 will start at 7:45 p.m. and be shown on either ESPN or ESPN2.
