Vanderbilt Commodores Projected To Stay in SEC Country for Bowl Game
The 2024 college football season looks like it could be a turning point for the Vanderbilt Commodores in getting the program back on track.
A 6-6 showing may not seem like much to some fan bases, but this is the most wins the team has had since 2018 when they were also victorious six times under Derek Mason.
That was also the last time they were bowl eligible prior to this year.
For the first time since 2013, before James Franklin departed to take the head coach job with the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Commodores were ranked.
They broke into the top 25 twice, reaching as high as No. 24.
That final campaign under Franklin, 12 years ago, was also the last time Vanderbilt finished with a record above the .500 mark. It was also their most recent victory in a bowl game.
Both of those brutal streaks could come to an end later in December, as the Commodores earned a bowl bid when they won their sixth game against Auburn on Nov. 2.
Unfortunately, that was the last victory Clark Lea’s group had, as they are currently riding a three-game losing streak at hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks, LSU Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers.
Where could Vanderbilt be headed for their bowl game this year?
In the recent projections shared by Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic, they will be remaining in SEC country.
Right now, the Commodores will take part in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 27 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets out of the ACC.
Because that is an ESPN Events bowl, the participants can be moved around, so nothing is set in stone yet, especially with conference championship games being played this week and a trickle-down effect likely to occur based on who makes the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field.
Somewhere between the No. 8-10 SEC team, depending on how everything shakes out, the Commodores may not be the most polarizing choice as a bowl participant, but this is a team motivated to accomplish something the program hasn’t done in over a decade.
Diego Pavia will want to end his collegiate career on a high note after helping spark one of the more surprising team performances in the country this season.
Vanderbilt players will be fired up to participate in a bowl regardless of which one they land in.
