What Version of Vanderbilt Commodores Will Show Up vs. South Carolina Gamecocks?
The Vanderbilt Commodores earned bowl eligibility last week with their victory on the road over the Auburn Tigers. This has a chance to be the most successful season in a long time for the program, as the last time they were invited to a bowl game was the 2018 campaign.
This week, they are heading into a matchup with the red-hot South Carolina Gamecocks. It is one of several massive games that will be played in the SEC in Week 11.
The Georgia Bulldogs will be heading on the road to face the Ole Miss Rebels in what is a quasi-elimination game for Lane Kiffin and company. A loss would result in them needing a lot of help to climb back into the College Football Playoff picture.
CFP stakes are on the line when the Alabama Crimson Tide travel to face the LSU Tigers. A loss for either team would likely take them out of the running for an at-large bid, especially the Tigers.
While the Commodores aren’t in the mix for a playoff spot, the Gamecocks are. They enter the game this weekend with a lot of momentum, which started with a narrow 27-25 loss to Alabama about four weeks ago.
Since that point, they have won back-to-back games, blowing out the Oklahoma Sooners and No. 10 ranked Texas A&M Aggies. There are some outlets who believe South Carolina is a dark horse to earn an at-large bid as they have several opportunities to really bolster their resume.
That will start Saturday, as a victory in Vanderbilt carries a little more weight in 2024 than it has in previous years. It is one of the games Bill Connelly of ESPN is keeping an eye on in his Week 11 preview.
The biggest question he has is, what version of the Commodores are we going to get?
“South Carolina might be the hottest team in the country; Vanderbilt might be the most tested. The 6-3 Commodores are less than 20 points from being both 9-0 and 3-6, and while SP+ thinks they've been a little bit fortunate overall, would you bet against Diego Pavia & Co. with the game on the line?”
Throughout the year, Vanderbilt has put fans on the edge of their seat. Massive swings occur multiple times within every game as they routinely play up and down to their competition.
Given how important this one is to their opponents, we can probably count on the good version of the Commodores showing up to FirstBank Stadium.
They played the Texas Longhorns incredibly tough two games ago in a 27-24 loss. Expect more of the same, as they look to improve their standing in the SEC while officially putting an end to South Carolina’s late-season run.
