Can Vanderbilt Commodores Pick Up Another Top 5 Win vs. Texas Longhorns?
One of the more pleasant surprises in college football this season has been the Vanderbilt Commodores.
They are currently 5-2 on the season, which is already the most victories they have had since recording six during the 2018 campaign. Now ranked No. 25 in the country, it is the first time they have had a number next to their name since 2013.
A big reason that the Commodores are where they are currently was their victory a few weeks ago over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
One of the biggest upsets of the year, Vanderbilt hosted then-No. 1 ranked Alabama at FirstBank Stadium. They held control throughout the contest, as the Commodores never trailed.
They scored the first 13 points in the game and never looked back. Vanderbilt will be looking to replicate that formula this weekend when they welcome the No. 5 ranked Texas Longhorns to town.
The Commodores have seen it all this season. Watching them has quite literally been like riding on a roller coaster.
As shared by Bill Connelly of ESPN, the average number of players per team that win probability has increased by at least 10 percent is 19.6. Vanderbilt is more than doubling that with 45 total; they have 25 good and 20 bad.
That could make for a very exciting matchup on Saturday in what is a much more important game than anyone imagined it would be coming into the season. It is one of the matchups Connelly highlighted in his Week 9 preview.
If Texas doesn’t come out ready to play, they will be in danger.
“Diego Pavia and the Commodores lost to GSU and barely shifted out of second gear against Ball State last week, but against all four SP+ top-40 opponents they've faced, they've overachieved against projections by at least three touchdowns. The Big Game 'Dores are playing only top-30 opponents from here on out. Look out, world,” the college football expert added.
While far from ideal, Vanderbilt will more often than not play to the level of their competition. It has led to one slip-up this season but resulted in a wild victory over the Crimson Tide.
The Longhorns are another highly regarded team, which means we will see the best Vanderbilt has to offer. If you overlook the Commodores, as Alabama may have, they will take full advantage.
