Vanderbilt’s SEC home opener this fall brings a heavyweight problem to Nashville.
Ole Miss comes to town on Oct. 10 with plenty of buzz still attached after reaching the semifinals of the College Football Playoff a season ago. The Rebels are now in the first full year with Pete Golding as head coach, though he already proved he could steady the program during his interim stint in Oxford after Lane Kiffin left for LSU. Ole Miss rolled past Tulane in the playoff opener and then stunned SEC champion Georgia in the quarterfinals.
That run has not done much to quiet what the Rebels still have on offense. Trinidad Chambliss is back at quarterback and could work his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation, while Kewan Lacy remains a major threat in the backfield. The concern for Ole Miss is on the other side of the ball, where the Rebels return only six starters from a defense that ranked No. 49 in college football last season.
For Vanderbilt, the assignment is straightforward even if the execution is anything but: keep pace with an offense that can light up the scoreboard. The Commodores are not likely to shut Ole Miss down for long stretches, so the path to an upset runs through takeaways.
If Vanderbilt can force turnovers, it gives itself a real shot at making things interesting at home. The other defensive priority is limiting Chambliss as a runner and making him play more like a one-dimensional quarterback.
On offense, Vanderbilt has to answer back. The Commodores will need to score often, and they will need to control the line of scrimmage no matter who is under center.
That could mean leaning on the run early before opening things up through the air. It could also mean trying to slow the tempo and keep Ole Miss’ offense off the field as much as possible.
Playing in Nashville helps, especially after Vanderbilt went undefeated at home last season. Still, the challenge is steep. The Commodores should find some points, but Ole Miss brings too much firepower for Vanderbilt to match if it is relying on an inexperienced starter.
Vanderbilt can keep it competitive for a while, but Ole Miss pulls away late.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Sees A Real October Opening Against Arkansas
October gives Vanderbilt a chance to turn a tricky SEC stretch into something more manageable, and the opener against Arkansas looks like the place to start. The Razorbacks are adjusting to a new head coach in Ryan Silverfield, and with Taylent Green gone, there is still uncertainty at quarterback as the Commodores get ready for the Oct. 17 meeting.
From Vanderbilts side, the matchup sets up with some clear opportunities on both offense and defense. Arkansas struggled badly on that side of the ball a year ago, and the Commodores should see room to lean on their running game while also making life difficult for a young quarterback situation that has yet to settle in. The bigger question is whether Vanderbilt can use that first October game to build momentum before Kentucky and Mississippi State follow in quick succession. [Read more 🡒]