No. 19 Tennessee configured to host #14 Vanderbilt Saturday marks the 120th meeting between the SEC's two oldest rivals in history. Eat There's a lot at stake for both teams, as they look to solidify their position in the postseason in the final week of the regular season.
Although the Vols and Commodores first met in 1892, this would be the first time in series history that both would be ranked in the AP Top 25—and in the rankings College Football Playoff Rankings – at the beginning of the match. It is also only the fifth time Vanderbilt has boasted an AP ranking entering the game against Tennessee, and the first since 1958. The Commodores are 1-3 in these meetings.
They also just won one of 42 meetings against AP ranked Tennessee teams. This only victory came in 2016.
So history is definitely not on Vanderbilt's side as it looks to build a case for a College Football Playoff appearance. The Commodores have also lost their last six games in a row to Tennessee. They haven't won in Knoxville in eight years.
But Tennessee has had its fair share of struggles this season. The Vols have yet to beat a ranked team and have struggled against some lower tier SEC teams such as Mississippi And Arkansas.
There is still motivation to end the year on a high note and provide quality bowling.
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Need to know
Biggest game in Vanderbilt history: The stakes for Vanderbilt are simple: win, and it puts itself in a good position to earn a big bet in the College Football Playoff. That the Commodores have a chance to do it on the road against their oldest active rival only adds to the significance. Vanderbilt is also aiming for 10 wins in a single season for the first time in program history. The Commodores are the only current Power Four team without a 10-win campaign in history. There is no doubt that this is the biggest game Vanderbilt has ever played, especially since the Commodores haven't even won a conference title in the modern era of college football.
There's a lot at stake in Tennessee, too: At this point, Tennessee is all but eliminated from the College Football Playoff race. The Vols have yet to defeat an FBS team with a winning record and are 0-3 against ranked opponents this season. But they have a chance to win nine games for the fourth straight season, something they haven't done since 1995-99. For rivalry purposes, Tennessee could also spoil Vanderbilt's Cinderella story, which after winning the Florida for the first time in 22 years, it would be a nice cherry on top of a decent season for the Vols.
Vanderbilt's Pavia approaches another record: Vanderbilt, defensive back Diego Pavia At 26 years old, he already holds the Vanderbilt record for most touchdowns in a season. In doing so, he passed former Commodore star Kyle Shurmur. He is now just 254 yards away from passing Kurt Page for the most passing yards in a single season in program history. Pavia, who rushed for 2,924 yards through the air on the year, is also on pace to become the fourth Vanderbilt quarterback to top 3,000 yards passing in a single season. Both feats are certainly doable against a Tennessee secondary that ranks near the bottom of the SEC.
Where to watch Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt live
Date: Saturday 29 November | Time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tennessee.
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: Fubo (Try for free)
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt: Predictions, Picks
Tennessee currently ranks 14th in the SEC in total defense (378.5 yards per game). Vanderbilt ranks 11th in the SEC in total defense (353.4 points). Tennessee has held only one conference opponent to under 30 points all season. Vanderbilt has averaged 32 points in two games against top-20 opponents this season. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar he is just the fifth 3,000-yard passer in program history. Pavia is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Do you already understand the picture? Take over. Choice: Over 64.5 (-115)
Who will win and close out every college football game in Week 14? Legendary Vegas pundit Bruce Marshall has a 38-29 rating for college football picks. Visit SportsLine now to see all of his college football picks..
