YankeeVol
To some, war is hell. To us, it’s sanctuary.
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59. (tie) Vanderbilt
Nashville is the best city in the SEC. And the school isn't shoved off in some suburban corner of town; it's less than a mile from the heart of everything, and West End is a bustling area of activity. Additionally, Vanderbilt is the best academic institution in the SEC, not that that doesn't come with football hurdles, as we've seen and will see with elite-level schools for education. All that said, the program is so, so far behind when it comes to its brethren. It took James Franklin's recent one-part televangelist, one-part ShamWow guy act to even take Vandy to the precipice of success (two nine-win seasons). Once he left, 1980s-era doormat Vanderbilt reappeared. It begs the question: Does Franklin's 24-15 record in three seasons signal the high-water mark, as good as good can get, for a program that has struggled to dogpaddle in its conference? Not unlike Wake Forest, it's a great university miscast in a league with more athletic-minded members -- and that's just that much truer in the SEC than the ACC. Of course, those leagues do not mind keeping around the private schools to boost a certain academic image.
Only 5 were ranked worse