Get to Know Vandy Defense - Can Georgia Stay Hot Offensively?

Here's what you need to know about the Commodores' defense as Georgia's 10th-ranked scoring offense looks to remain hot after a 51-point outing at home against Kentucky.

Tyler Graves | Oct 11, 2023

Get to Know Vandy Defense - Can Georgia Stay Hot Offensively? /

The No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs head to Nashville, Tennessee Saturday to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores who have stumbled to a 2-5 start to begin the 2023 campaign. They've experienced quarterback change already at this point in the season, they are still winless in the conference, and they are currently 31.5 point underdogs to the nation's two-time defending champs.

So, here's what you need to know about the Commodores' defense as Georgia's 10th-ranked scoring offense looks to remain hot after a 51-point outing at home against Kentucky.

Get to Know Vanderbilt's DEFENSE

No one will confuse the Vanderbilt defense with a quality SEC defense. The Commodores, after all, give up 420 yards and 34 points per game, but as dreadful as those numbers may be, they actually represent an improvement over a year ago when Clark Lea's defense surrendered 461 yards and a league-worst 36 points per game.

The Commodores are generally out-manned on defense and consistently get pushed around on the line of scrimmage, making it difficult for them to pose resistance of any sort to opposing offenses. Vanderbilt is currently 114th nationally in passing defense and only slightly better against the run at 93rd nationally. The Commodore defense is also surrendering 40 points per game to SEC opponents, making it one of the worst defenses in the league.

Sep 30, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) runs the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

While bright spots are hard to pinpoint with numbers that discouraging, the Commodores do have a few players that have produced solid seasons to this point. Slot defender - the "Anchor" position in Vanderbilt's defensive parlance - C.J. Taylor leads the team in sacks (3.5), tackles for loss (6.5), and tackles (45). At 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, he brings good size to the position, allowing him to serve as an effective box defender, but is also athletic enough to hold up fairly well in coverage. Senior defensive end Nate Clifton has also shown the ability to disrupt the operations of opposing offenses with 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss.

How to Watch Georgia vs. Vanderbilt

Gameday: Saturday, Oct. 14. 2023
Game time: 12:00 pm ET
TV: SEC Network
Location: FirstBank Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Stream on ESPN - HERE
Broadcast Call: Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play) and Matt Stinchcomb (Color) will be on the call

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Published Oct 11, 2023

TYLER GRAVES