Vanderbilt Commodores (3-1, 1-1 SEC) vs. #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC)
Alabama joins its bitter divisional rival LSU in adeptly clear-cutting through the SEC so far in 2011. By all conventional logic, the Vanderbilt Commodores should be the next tree to be felled. The Commodores have definitely exceeded expectations to so far; they are assumed by many to be a perennial SEC bottom-dweller.
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa AL
Saturday, Oct. 8, 7:00 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: Vandy +1650, Alabama -10000
Spread: Vandy +29, Alabama -29
Over/Under: 41.5
Yet Vandy scored a nice win against a terrorized Ole Miss program and is looking pretty respectable at 3-1 and .500 in conference play.
Vandy hasn’t played a team like the Tide yet, though. Alabama has made every team it has played thus far look silly, including heavy hitters like Penn State, Arkansas and even the Florida Gators – who looked like the SEC East crème de la crème until last week. The Crimson Tide are an astounding first in the nation in points allowed (8.4 per game), 13th in rushing (230 yards per), and 17th in points for (38.4 per contest). Alabama’s heavy presence of NFL-ready talent is well documented. Tide head coach Nick Saban grooms players and winners. The Tide can keep their season perfect with a win over an inferior Vanderbilt football team.
To make things worse still for Vanderbilt, it is missing some offensive firepower. All-conference TE Brandon Barden is out with an ankle injury, RB Warren Norman is still out with a barrage of ailments and the Commodores also are missing starting LB Tristan Strong. The Vandy defense has been respectable – 15th in the nation to be exact – but after a 21-3 loss to South Carolina last week, it looks like Vandy may be coming back down to earth. True, the Commodores had an impressive win over Ole Miss earlier, but the Rebels are in such disarray that a Pop Warner team might beat them this season.
Vandy had to deal with Carolina standout RB Marcus Lattimore last week, but this week it gets the ominous task of containing an equivalent back (’Bama RB Trent Richardson) and an excellent back-up in sophomore Eddie Lacy, who has suffered from turf toe but is probable for this Saturday night. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
When Alabama isn’t running the ball, starting pivot A.J. McCarron is playing sound football. Ultimately, the point scoring seems to be just buttressing an outstanding Tide defense. No one has been able to score a bunch of points on Alabama – and we are talking about teams far more talented than Vanderbilt.
To pull off an upset, Vanderbilt will require a career day out of RB Zak Stacy, QB Larry Smith, alternate-look freshman RB Jerron Seymour, a defensive renaissance, and a partridge in a pear tree. The game takes place in nerve-wracking Tuscaloosa and the Commodores will likely have to hang on for dear life just to avoid getting utterly humiliated. Smith must protect the ball from a glut of hungry pass-rushers and missile-like secondary personnel lurking sideline to sideline for the Tide.
Following the Vanderbilt game, Alabama gets another tune-up (Ole Miss) followed by an improving Tennessee team, leading up to the epic battle we’ve all been waiting for: Nov. 5 vs. LSU. That is when the cards for SEC dominance will truly be on the table, though it is important for Alabama to take care of all the (dare I say?) mundane details along the way.
Unfortunately, the Vanderbilt Commodores fall into this category.
Score Prediction: Alabama 33, Vanderbilt 6
Over/Under Prediction: 39
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