Texas Longhorns vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Keys to Victory

Clark Lea has made a some crucial changes in his staff during the offseason, but will it be enough to get past a highly ranked Texas team?

Nov 25, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Ken Seals (8) hands the ball off to running back Sedrick Alexander (28) against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports / Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Texas will be heading to Nashville to play what has been considered by many the weakest football team in the SEC in the Vanderbilt Commodores.

But that narrative is long gone.

Vanderbilt and Texas had opposing stories in 2023. One team failed to win a single conference game, while the other made it to the College Football Playoffs semifinals and ended the year ranked No. 3 in the nation.

2024 has looked different. Both teams have the same conference record of 2-1, and the Commodores are ranked for the first time after an impressive start, complete with a win over a No. 1 ranked Alabama team.

Should Texas be worried about the No. 25 Commodores? The answer is yes. Steve Sarkisian and his team should treat every game with respect and play their best. Texas is still going to this matchup as the stronger team, but Vanderbilt is more than capable of pulling another upset.

Here is what each team must do to get this conference win on Oct. 26.

Texas wins if...

It can move on from last weekend and get off to a fast start.

Georgia happened, it's in the past. Though Texas needs to learn from its mistakes, it can't hesitate going into this weekend. Vanderbilt is not the easy game most people expected it to be before the season started, as the Commodores hold the same 2-1 conference record as the Longhorns and have a win over then-No. 1 Alabama under their belt.

Texas must be efficient, and take advantage of every drive and possession. Last week, Texas started slow and had multiple turnovers and incomplete drives -- that cannot be the case against the team that leads the SEC in turnover margin, time of possession, third downs, conversion rate, and red zone offense.

Vanderbilt wins if...

It finds holes in the Longhorn defense. And it's possible.

Newcomer quarterback Diego Pavia has changed the look of the Vanderbilt offense, and Clark Lea has done a solid job preparing his team for ranked matchups. The Commodores won't be intimidated, and Texas needs to know that it is the outsider in Nashville.

If Texas fails to finish its drives, Vanderbilt has proven to know how to take advantage.

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