Pat Forde gives final score prediction of intrastate showdown between Vanderbilt and Tennessee
The Vols and Dores meet on Saturday in one of the biggest games in the history of the rivalry.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores will face off on Saturday afternoon in Neyland Stadium for a game that has significant College Football Playoff implications for the second straight year.
However, this year, Vanderbilt is the team that can get to 10-2 with a win and push for a playoff spot. Last year, Tennessee defeated Diego Pavia and the Commodores 36-23 to clinch a spot in the field at 10-2.
Now, Vanderbilt looks to do the unthinkable by reaching 10 wins for the first time in program history and make a strong argument to be in the playoff field. And doing it by beating Tennessee, particularly after Pavia’s comments in the offseason about running the state of Tennessee, would be an enormous cherry on top for the Dores.
Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde offered a score prediction for the game, and he sees a high-scoring game going against the Vols on Saturday.
SI’s Pat Forde has Vandy winning a close game in Neyland Stadium
“Vanderbilt 38, Tennessee 37. This is a matchup of two vulnerable pass defenses that rank 14th (Vols) and 15th (Dores) in efficiency in the SEC. So if it’s going to be a shootout, The Dash is going with the hottest QB in the country in Pavia.”
I find it interesting that, in a shootout, Forde is going against Tennessee, whose offense has been the most productive in the SEC this season and the fourth-best in the entire country at putting points on the scoreboard. The Vols average 42.3 points per game. Joey Aguilar leads the SEC in passing yards with 3145, and Tennessee has three receivers with at least 700 receiving yards.
The Commodores’ defense will certainly have its hands full. Still, as good as Pavia has been playing, Tennessee’s defense will certainly have a challenge against a very capable Vanderbilt team whose only losses this season have been by three at Texas and by 16 at Alabama.
The Vols and Commodores get underway at 3:30 p.m. ET from Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
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