GAMEDAY INFO: Tennessee vs Vanderbilt

#1

milohimself

RIP CITY
Joined
Sep 18, 2004
Messages
48,891
Likes
27
#1
Date: Saturday November 19
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Television broadcast: ESPNU
Line: Vanderbilt is favored by 1.5

The forecast for Knoxville on Saturday night calls for a kickoff temperature in the low 50's and a 20% chance of precipitation.

The two rival schools are playing for the 105th time since 1900 on Saturday, making this rivalry the 18th most-played in major college football. Tennessee holds a commanding series lead of 72-27-5. The series was dominated early on by Vanderbilt, who was 18-2-3 against the Volunteers in their first 23 matchups dating to 1927. Since then, the series has been one of the most lopsided of any long-standing rivalry in the nation, going 70-9-2 against the Commodores.

As unthinkable as it would seem to lose 18 times in 23 games against Vanderbilt for Tennessee fans today, there was a silver lining. In 1926, General Robert Neyland was hired to become the head coach of the Volunteers, and was given only one goal: Beat Vanderbilt. He accomplished more than just that, and the rest is history.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)

Even in some of the worst seasons at Tennessee, the Volunteers could count on being favored against Vanderbilt. Not anymore.

The Commodores opened as a 1-point favorite this week for their Saturday meeting with the Vols in Knoxville, marking just the second time in 26 seasons they've been favored against the in-state opponent that's beaten them 26 times in the last 27 seasons.

''It's expected'' for Tennessee to win, Vols linebacker Austin Johnson said. ''The fans know it, we know it, and we've just got to beat them. They're a good team this year, and they're going to be expecting to beat us. We've just got to go in there with confidence and play our game.''

Tennessee and Vanderbilt seem to be experiencing a bit of a role reversal heading into the last two games. The Commodores (5-5, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) have all the momentum with a dominating defense, an offense that's recently found some rhythm and a new coach that's led them to the brink of bowl eligibility.

Meanwhile, the Vols (4-6, 0-6) are alone at the bottom of the SEC East and reeling from arguably their worst conference season in history, and Saturday's 42-point loss to Arkansas, now ranked sixth, ranks as the Vols' biggest margin of defeat since a 44-0 rout by Georgia in 1981.

Tennessee needs wins over both Vanderbilt and Kentucky to earn the bowl berth that orange-clad fans consider their birthright. Vanderbilt has played in a bowl just four times in program history; Tennessee has missed out on a bowl game just four times in the past three decades and has gone to a total of 49.

''Whatever happened in the past doesn't really matter anymore,'' Tennessee defensive end Willie Bohannon said. ''We can't sit here and say we have a mental edge over anybody.''

Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers certainly feels like he and the Commodores have the edge after beating Kentucky by 30 points and nearly upsetting Florida, Arkansas and Georgia in the previous four weeks. Vanderbilt lost those three games by a combined 13 points.

''With how much we've improved, I think it's a good time for us to be playing anybody,'' Rodgers said. ''I feel like we've gotten to the point that we can get a win against anybody we face if we play how we know we should and execute how we should. We go into every game thinking we should win, we should be able to compete.''

On paper, the Commodores seem to have a slight statistical advantage. Though Tennessee is averaging 7.7 yards more on offense, Vanderbilt is averaging 5.1 more points. On defense, the `Dores are allowing 31 fewer yards and 2.4 fewer points than the Vols.

But they also know being the favorite doesn't guarantee victory. Vanderbilt also was favored in the 2008 meeting in Nashville - longtime Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer's second-to-last game - but lost 20-10.

''It takes a lot of discipline to realize this is just the next game. It's not what people are making it out to be,'' Vanderbilt offensive lineman Wesley Johnson said.

That's the kind of attitude both Tennessee coach Derek Dooley and Vanderbilt coach James Franklin are preaching to their players. Despite the bowl ramifications for each school, the coaches want their players focused on the task at hand.

For Franklin, that means having the Commodores keep the number six in mind, representing the average number of seconds it takes to run a single play.

For Dooley, it's about keeping his players from worrying so much about a game's outcome while they're in the middle of playing it or how the outcome of a game might affect an entire season.

''We need to stay on Vandy, and that's it. We'll get through the Vandy game and see how we perform, and then we can worry about the next one,'' he said. ''I don't think the outcome (against Vanderbilt) is going to change how I'm thinking in the next year or two. It's certainly going to change how we feel this year. And I'm sure it will change how a lot of people feel externally, about me and where we're headed, and that's OK.

''But this one game is not going to impact our entire program the next three years.''

---

AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville contributed to this story.

GBO
 
#4
#4
ahh forgot about them almost upsetting those teams... uh oh. why do we expect to beat them again?? in all honesty, I do not think we do and i am the farthest fro a negavol
 
#6
#6
I checked the local forecast, and did not see any chance of rain as posted on wbir.com and volunteertv.com fwiw.:hi:
 
#8
#8
A very interesting bit of history there. I had no idea how lopsided it was in the early days!
 
#9
#9
Going to the game tonight. Only my third time going to a Tennessee game. My daughter turned 16 yesterday and she wanted to go for her birthday. So I have a couple of questions. Best place to park without a parking pass?

Is the campus bookstore open today?

Is the Vol Walk 2 hours and fifteen minutes before kickoff?

I am a die hard vols fan. Unlike many others I do believe in Dooley. GO VOLS
 
#11
#11
going to the game tonight. Only my third time going to a tennessee game. My daughter turned 16 yesterday and she wanted to go for her birthday. So i have a couple of questions. Best place to park without a parking pass? we park off james agee. There's all kinds of parking around that area of 17th and 16th streets, mostly $20. But i suggest you get there early so you can get one that won't block you in.

is the campus bookstore open today? yes. And it'll be packed.

Is the vol walk 2 hours and fifteen minutes before kickoff? yes

i am a die hard vols fan. Unlike many others i do believe in dooley. Go vols

go vols!!!!!
 
#12
#12
Parking I park at the childrens hospitals garage 10.00 and it is very easy to get out and you dont have to worry about block in. And Dooley is going to be fine. Look at Oklahoma States record over the past 4 yrs when there head coach took over the first 3 yrs they barley had winning season then they now was number 2 in the nation until last night. It takes time to get the recurits and personal that works for a team. Have great time with your daughter.
 
#14
#14
Parking I park at the childrens hospitals garage 10.00 and it is very easy to get out and you dont have to worry about block in. And Dooley is going to be fine. Look at Oklahoma States record over the past 4 yrs when there head coach took over the first 3 yrs they barley had winning season then they now was number 2 in the nation until last night. It takes time to get the recurits and personal that works for a team. Have great time with your daughter.


thanks so much
 
#15
#15
Is ESPNU a channel in knoxville or is it like espn3 where you can watch it online? What channel will the game be on?
 

VN Store



Back
Top