Vanderbilt doesn’t sound like a team planning to back down from No. 9 Ole Miss.
The Commodores are headed into Saturday with belief, even if the Rebels come to Nashville as the clear favorite. Clark Lea’s message this week has been about staying steady and trusting what the program has built, not getting swept up in the moment.
“I'm excited to go through this week with them and to find higher levels of performance,” Lea said. “I think this is where we say as coaches, trust the process, you know, trust the people, trust our instincts, let's see things very clearly.
Let's not be drunk off emotion, let's not get called into the waves of emotion that sometimes kind of disorient you. And let's step into our belief, we say in our program over and over that belief is a practice.”
There is a road for Vanderbilt to pull this off. It is not a clean one, and it almost certainly does not require perfection. Ole Miss has shown some flaws, too, and Vanderbilt’s best chance is to survive its own mistakes while taking advantage of the ones the Rebels leave behind.
That part matters because Vanderbilt is unlikely to play mistake-free football based on what the first five games have shown. The question is whether it can absorb those errors and still stay on schedule against a team that can strike quickly.
Defensively, Vanderbilt will have to live with some production from Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. That much seems unavoidable.
What the Commodores cannot afford is allowing those yards to turn into touchdowns, especially the explosive kind. Field goals can be managed.
Back-breaking scoring plays cannot.
The turnover battle also looms large, and Vanderbilt does not appear likely to force many giveaways here. That means it needs another answer, some kind of equalizer to balance out Ole Miss’ edge in explosiveness and ball security.
That answer may have to come on offense, where Vanderbilt has spent the season looking for a spark from Sedrick Alexander and MK Young. If those two can get going, it could take pressure off Jared Curtis and give the Commodores a chance to make this a real game.
Ole Miss does not arrive in Nashville in a soft spot, either. The Rebels are coming off a bye and a bad loss to Florida, which does not feel like a favorable setup for Vanderbilt. Ole Miss should be ready.
Still, Vanderbilt keeps insisting it can beat anyone if it cleans up the details. The problem is that it has not yet shown the kind of consistency that makes that sound like more than a talking point.
Even so, this group believes it has a shot, and it keeps sending the same message: don’t count it out.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt's Upset Hopes May Hinge On One Critical Injury Decision
Clark Leas latest injury update gave Vanderbilt a clearer picture heading into its matchup with Ole Miss, and the most important news was on the quarterback front. Jared Curtis is probable to play, which steadies the outlook for an offense that will need every available piece against a formidable opponent, especially with bad weather in the forecast for Saturday.
The bigger concern sits along the offensive line, where Mitchell Smith is doubtful because of a knee injury. Vanderbilt has also been getting ready for the rain expected during the game, a detail that could matter just as much as health if the conditions turn sloppy and turn every snap into a little less predictable. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Gets A Massive Jared Curtis Boost For Ole Miss
Jared Curtis is on track to give Vanderbilt a major lift at quarterback heading into a daunting home date with No. 9 Ole Miss. The five-star freshman has flashed plenty through his first four games, and his return would give the Commodores a different level of upside on offense after veteran Blaze Berlowitz handled the job in Curtis' absence.
Curtis is expected to be back in the lineup after missing last week, a development that matters even more given the opponent and the setting. Vanderbilt will need every bit of his playmaking against a Rebels defense that has struggled, and the Commodores are clearly better equipped to test it with their most talented quarterback available. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt's Quarterback Twist Could Be Its Best Hope Vs Ole Miss
Vanderbilts quarterback situation has become one of the more intriguing parts of its matchup with Ole Miss, and it is already changing how the Rebels are getting ready for the game. Ole Miss coach Pete Golding said the defense has spent plenty of time on the different ways Vanderbilt can operate with Jared Curtis or Blaze Berlowitz at quarterback, since the offense does not look quite the same depending on who is taking snaps.
Curtis is listed as probable despite a knee bruise, while Golding has also pointed to the possibility of seeing Berlowitz on the field in multiple roles. For Ole Miss, the challenge is less about solving one look than staying ready for a scheme that can shift quickly, with Vanderbilt capable of changing its personnel and presentation from series to series. [Read more 🡒]