The Tennessee Vols likely aren’t reaching the College Football Playoff this season, but they still have plenty to play for next weekend against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

For starters, this is a rivalry game, and it’s the Vols’ final home game of the season. The crowd at Neyland Stadium should be electric next Saturday afternoon.

Additionally, Tennessee can play spoiler on Saturday as the Commodores look to solidify their College Football Playoff resume.

Vanderbilt is 9-2 going into the game against Tennessee. If they finish at 10-2, it’ll be tough for the committee to keep them out of the playoff.

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia gets asked about facing Tennessee

After the Commodores’ blowout win against Kentucky on Saturday, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was asked about facing the Vols in Knoxville.

“Yeah, I know you’re trying to get me to say something or whatever,” said Pavia. “But yeah, I’ve heard a lot about the stadium. I’m super excited. We’ve got everything we want ahead of us. Just to have that there, I want to play for my brothers.”

That’s a much different response than what Pavia offered during the summer when he stoked the fires in this rivalry during an appearance on Bussin with the Boys.

“Vanderbilt is gonna run Tennessee after this year,” said Pavia. “This is gonna be the new staple of college football. It’s going to happen here at Vanderbilt.

“Everyone wants to come to [the state of] Tennessee because of Nashville,” continued Pavia. “They want to come to Nashville, so Vanderbilt [is in Nashville. And then when we have the most money in NIL, like, why not come here? So, we literally just have to win this year, and throughout the rest of the year, it’ll take care of itself.”

Pavia made sure not to give the Vols any bulletin board material on Saturday night, but I’m sure his comments from the summer will be passed around Tennessee’s facility this week.

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