Vanderbilt winning 10 games in a football season is something that has only been seen in video games, but with a win vs. rival Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), the Commodores will reach that number for the first time ever.
Already, Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2 SEC) has won nine games for just the fifth time in the program’s 122-season history. As a result, the Dores enter their rivalry matchup with the 19th-ranked Vols (8-3, 4-3 SEC) ranked 14th in the most recent CFP rankings and still with a slim chance of a CFP berth if maximum chaos occurs.
Even if that doesn’t happen, this has still been an unforgettable season for Vandy, and a win over Tennessee would add another memorable moment. It would also potentially cement a trip to the Big Apple for Diego Pavia, who sits behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love in the latest Heisman Trophy odds.
Wins vs. Tennessee in Knoxville have been hard to come by for Vanderbilt, who last won in Knoxville in 2017 and has just five wins there since World War II.
But the Commodores have become quite adept at doing things they are not accustomed to, and with Pavia, all things seem to be possible.
Will he craft another masterpiece to bring the first 10-win season in program history? Read on for our Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee prediction and best bets, as well as the best betting odds from top online sportsbooks such as BetOnline.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee Prediction and Best Bets
Prediction: Vanderbilt to win
This is a matchup of two of the best offenses in college football, so we should see plenty of action in this one from start to finish.
Tennessee enters the game averaging 42.3 points per game and 491.1 yards per game, while Vanderbilt is averaging 38.9 PPG and 458.2 YPG.
But while there have been a lot of positives for the Vols this season, they find themselves on the outside of the College Football Playoff picture because they have not delivered in their biggest games.
To date, they are 0-3 against ranked teams, falling at home to Georgia and Oklahoma and at Alabama.
There are a variety of culprits for those losses (turnovers, defense, not converting on offense in key moments). But that lack of success against their best opponents is a serious point of concern against a team who isn’t going to be overawed by the occasion, even with the history Vanderbilt has vs. Tennessee.
The Commodores allowed 300+ passing yards in their losses to Alabama and Texas, which is a worry for a matchup with Joey Aguilar.
They also had offensive lulls in both of those losses, failing to score a point in the second half against the Crimson Tide and scoring just 10 points in the first three quarters against the Longhorns before a fourth-quarter flurry.
But I believe in the power of Pavia, and we are living in a simulation that even EA Sports’s finest designers couldn’t have conjured up, in which Indiana has the Heisman Trophy favorite and potential top overall NFL Draft pick, Texas Tech or BYU will win the Big 12, Virginia or SMU may win the ACC, and Ole Miss is going to the CFP.
I say all of that to say this: Anchor Down.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee Best Bets
Vanderbilt ML (+130 at Everygame)
Instead of going with the spread, which is perhaps the safe play, I’m going with the outright win. Go big or go home, baby. Also, Tennessee has lost its last five against ranked foes dating back to last season.
2) Vanderbilt First Quarter Team Total Over 6.5 (-130 at Bovada)
With the Commodores’ team total out of play due to the juice (over 30.5 is -150 at Bovada), this is the next best option with scoring expected early and often.
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