The staff’s hot start is already on shaky ground after a brutal Week 2, and the numbers tell the story. Nobody escaped unscathed, but Andrew’s 3-13 stood out for all the wrong reasons.
Christian finished 5-11, Tom landed at 6-10, and the Commentariat checked in at 7-9. On the better end of the spectrum, Import went 9-7 and Cole led the group at 10-6.
I came in at 8-8, which at least kept me out of the basement. As a group, the staff went 41-55 for a miserable 42.7 winning percentage, dragging the season mark down to 119-127, or 48.4%.
Week 2 also came with a few landmines that wiped out most of the board. Oklahoma losing to Michigan outright, LSU’s blowout of Louisiana Tech, Charlotte staying under 47.5 at Ole Miss, Tennessee rolling Georgia Tech, Mississippi State hammering Minnesota, Towson hanging within 42.5 of South Carolina, and Delaware keeping it close to Vanderbilt all tripped up nearly everyone.
The one thing the group did get exactly right was Alabama’s win over Kentucky. Georgia over WKU was another near-unanimous hit, with just one miss.
Now the schedule tightens up with five SEC-SEC matchups on the board. Two more games feature other Power 4 opponents, and nobody is on a bye.
Georgia-Arkansas is the lone unanimous pick this week. Two other games have only one dissenting vote, and eight of the nine remaining contests drew a majority.
Florida-Auburn is the one matchup that split the staff right down the middle.
The Week 3 board:
NC State (+3.5) at Vanderbilt
Florida (-2.5) at Auburn
Georgia (-25.5) at Arkansas
Florida State (+20.5) at Alabama
Mississippi State (+3.5) at South Carolina
LSU (-2.5) at Ole Miss
New Mexico (+22.5) at Oklahoma
Kennesaw State (+35.5) at Tennessee
In Other News...
Vanderbilt May Still Need Blaze Berlowitz More Than Fans Think
Vanderbilts quarterback picture has shifted with the staff naming five-star freshman Jared Curtis as the starter, a move that pushes Blaze Berlowitz into a backup role after his practice reps were reduced significantly. For a program that has leaned on Berlowitzs veteran presence, the change brings a new look at the games most important position while still leaving room for the older quarterback to matter.
Clark Lea has kept the door open for Berlowitz, saying he has confidence in him as a backup and suggesting he could still factor in later this season. Berlowitz has handled the transition professionally, which matters in a quarterback room where experience and steadiness can still become valuable if the Commodores need another option down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces A Defining Test As Offensive Pressure Builds
Vanderbilt heads into its matchup with NC State carrying more than just the usual early-season curiosity. For the Commodores, this one reads as a checkpoint on where the season might be headed, especially after offensive issues have started to pile up. The running game has been a particular concern, leaving more on the shoulders of the passing attack and making every possession feel a little heavier than it should.
Ken Seals Curtis will be central to how Vanderbilt handles the challenge, because staying efficient and managing the game cleanly could be the difference between hanging around and letting NC State take control. The task gets tougher with Bailey on the other side, since the Wolfpack quarterback brings a dual-threat element that can stress a defense in more than one way. For Vanderbilt, this is the kind of test that can reveal a lot about the teams direction before the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Faces An Early Defensive Test Against NC States Dangerous QB
Clark Lea is already treating NC States quarterback situation like an early measuring stick for Vanderbilts defense. CJ Bailey brings the kind of challenge that can stress a game plan in more than one way, with the arm strength to attack downfield and the mobility to turn broken plays into something dangerous. For a Commodores team trying to settle in on that side of the ball, it is the sort of matchup that can reveal a lot in a hurry.
Bailey has not had the smoothest start to this season, but Vanderbilt is not approaching him like a quarterback who can be ignored or contained with a standard rush plan. Leas defense will have to account for the extra time Bailey can create and the stress he puts on coverage once a play leaves script. Even early in the year, that makes this a test worth watching closely for Vanderbilt. [Read more 🡒]