It’s the CBS SEC ‘Game of the Week,’ and I can confidently say I can’t remember the last time there was this much buzz surrounding the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. It almost doesn’t feel real. In fact, the last time Vandy, Kentucky, and Mississippi State were all 3-0 was 1911. I read that on Instagram somewhere, but don’t hold me to a source. #Journalism.
Anyway, it feels like the SEC East is open for the taking this year. Georgia is still the class of the division, but Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina don’t look like the teams we expected them to be this season, at least not yet. Georgia is very beatable, at that. Could it be the year the ‘Dores end up in Atlanta? Is it too soon to start talking about that? Did I just jinx it? Shit…
But, coach Derek Mason’s Commodores won’t be facing any struggling team from the East tomorrow. Nope, it’s the vaunted Alabama Crimson Tide, ranked #1 in the country, that are making the trip to West End. Alabama is favored in this game by 19.5 points, but hey – Las Vegas has been wrong before.
The Crimson Tide
*The offense has yet to really make a statement. Sure, they’re averaging 35.3 points per game, but that’s come largely against Fresno State and Colorado State. It took points from the defense to really pull away in the season opener against Florida State. Sure, the ‘Noles appear to have a stout defense, but so does Vandy. This will be the matchup that decides the game. If Jalen Hurts and company get rolling early, it may be a looooong day for the ‘Dores.
*Alabama’s offensive line will have to protect Jalen Hurts against a stout Vanderbilt pass rush. If they start forcing him out of the pocket, they could force him into a crucial mistake. In case you haven’t figured it out, I think this game probably comes down to a defensive score or two at the expense of a team making a colossal mistake.
*Let’s see another big day for the Alabama receivers. Even if it’s not Calvin Ridley, Robert Foster has emerged as a legitimate weapon. And, for goodness’ sake, can we see what Jerry Jeudy can really do? Open the pipes, y’know? The Tide should be striving to hang at least 14 on Vandy as soon as possible to demoralize the defense. This is a confident unit that’s going to be fired up for this game.
The Commodores
*The Tide’s offensive line just hasn’t been as dominant as they should be given the talent. If Vandy’s defense can exploit that, then may have a shot to really shock the world. Again, this game may come down to how Vandy’s defense fares against the Alabama offense. I don’t anticipate the ‘Dores will score too many points on offense. But, it just so happens they are leading the SEC in sacks. This could be the key matchup in the game.
*Ralph Webb hasn’t got it going in the run game yet, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry. But, that will have to change if the ‘Dores expect to possess the ball for any length of time.
*Kyle Shurmur is the highest rated quarterback in the SEC. But, he’ll need to be perfect in this game and, most importantly, not turn the ball over. That said, you can look around the SEC, and probably won’t find a quarterback who is more up to this challenge.
The Commodores stand a chance, folks. Las Vegas is wrong. If they can pressure Hurts, run the ball, and protect the ball, they’ll find themselves in this game in the fourth quarter. For Alabama, this is their first real test in three weeks. But, they’ll need to protect Hurts, score touchdowns early, and get some playmakers involved to make this the blowout the sports books are predicting. I just don’t see it that way.
Final prediction: Alabama 30, Vanderbilt 20
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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