NASHVILLE—Can this Vanderbilt football team finally get right after three-consecutive losses and a disastrous one a week ago against Ole Miss?
Well, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea thinks that’s up to his players.
“We need to be a team that’s out to prove something–not to the world and not to Arkansas, but to ourselves,” Lea said. “I want to see this team play better football. In that sense, there’s nothing bigger.”
Vanderbilt is expected to find a way to win Saturday, but its recent performance has called that into question. Now, it’s got to prove that it’s taken Lea’s challenge.
Three of Vandy on SI’s four staff members have 6-0 records in regard to picking Vanderbilt wins and losses this season while the other could be 6-0 if not for a miracle play against NC State. Can they keep it rolling?
Here’s our picks.
Graham Baakko: Vanderbilt: 27, Arkansas: 21
This game feels like a classic game where the perceived superior team gets right by beating up on its opponent. However, Clark Lea not being satisfied with how his team has responded after last week is concerning to an extent. I think at the end of the day, the talent of Vanderbilt is going to overpower Arkansas but it will be a struggle win for the Commodores. Nonetheless, Vanderbilt gets back in the win column
Dylan Tovitz: Arkansas 31, Vanderbilt 20
The wheels appear to be falling off for Vanderbilt after a disastrous 35-point loss to Ole Miss, and it desperately needs a get-right game. Despite Vanderbilt entering as six-point favorites, it’s difficult to pick it to bounce back without seeing some signs of life, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. I’m skeptical that the Commodores will be able to respond mentally after such a lopsided defeat, and am expecting Arkansas to exploit Vanderbilt’s defensive shortcomings, pull away late and hand Lea’s squad another frustrating loss.
Mikey Andersen: Vanderbilt: 24, Arkansas: 21
The time is now Vanderbilt. A season that for all intents and purposes has turned into a development year, with scandals, position battles, and the not so occasional blow-out loss. If there is any game that Vandy has a chance to put good film on tape and show they are working to make next year better, this is the game, against a struggling Arkansas team that doesn’t have anyone excited.
The defense needs to play to their ability, and the offense needs to find another playmaker outside of Junior Sherrill, or else the final 50/50 game on the schedule could once again slip through their hands.
Joey Dwyer: Vanderbilt: 27, Arkansas: 24
Arkansas is playing better football than Vanderbilt is right now, but don’t get this twisted. This is about Vanderbilt. If Vanderbilt does what it believes it can do and approaches this thing with the proper focus, it should leave FirstBank Stadium with a winning record.
The problem is that it hasn’t demonstrated that it can do that yet and Lea knows it. Lea has ripped his team all week for things that don’t relate to their talent and he appears to be very intentional in doing so. He knows that he needs to push the right buttons to get this thing back on the rails, but the question is whether he can do that. This always appeared to be a Vanderbilt win on the surface, but more questions remain than ever in regard to what this team is.
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