The Rocky Top Insider team makes their picks for Tennessee’s matchup with the Vanderbilt Commodores this Saturday. Managing editor Ben McKee, as well as RTI contributors Blake Von Hagen and Noah Taylor share their predictions for the Vols’ first game of 2020.
Ben’s Pick
Vanderbilt is in dire straits following a season full of opt outs, transfers and injuries. Add in the firing of head coach Derek Mason and you have one of the worst SEC football teams the conference has ever seen. The Commodores didn’t look very interested in playing football in their last game out against Missouri, but you can bet that they’ll be interested in beating Tennessee in order to throw salt on the wounds of Vol fans.
Vanderbilt may be motivated and Tennessee may be on a six-game losing streak, but it won’t matter on Saturday in Nashville. The Vols are more talented and the Commodores’ roster is severely hampered due to the attrition suffered this season. Tennessee will roll over the Commodores.
Pick: Tennessee, 31-10
MVP: Tennessee RB Eric Gray
Vanderbilt’s defensive line is one of the position groups hit the most by the roster attrition. The Commodores have five available defensive lineman and one of them just switched over from the offensive line. Tennessee’s offensive line will lead the Vols to victory and Eric Gray, who has been one of the lone bright spots recently, will have a big game.
Blake’s Pick
Vanderbilt is awful and things are probably going to get worse without Derek Mason at the helm. The Commodores’ should consider this a successful game if they avoid a blowout and give Sarah Fuller a chance to kick. Under normal circumstances, Tennessee would be an easy pick to notch a blowout win. However, this is not a team that can be trusted to blow anyone out right now. The Vols have not hit the 20-point mark in any of their last five games and should have some serious motivational concerns at this point in the season.
The Commodores have been decent on third down opportunities and the offensive line is playing well enough to give the team a chance. Tennessee should find a way to win this game—there are some serious questions that need to be asked if the Vols don’t win—but it probably won’t be a blowout. They are last in the SEC in third down conversions and have not had enough success offensively to feel good about lighting up the scoreboard here.
Pick: Tennessee, 21-7
MVP: Tennessee RB Eric Gray
This is pretty simple — Gray has been one of the lone bright spots on the team this season and has gone over 120 yards in three of his last five games. He exploded for 246 yards and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt last season.
Noah’s Pick
Tennessee’s losing streak is now at six with Vanderbilt and No. 5 Texas A&M still ahead. While the Vols are clearly struggling, I just don’t see them losing to this depleted Commodore team.
After the firing of head coach Derek Mason, the COVID issues and the mass exodus of players, this should be a game where Tennessee’s talent is enough to get the win. By how much, I don’t know. It wouldn’t shock me to see a low scoring affair, similar to last season’s 28-10 Vols win to snap a three-game losing skid to their in-state rival.
One this is certain, if there is such thing as rock bottom, a loss in Nashville would be it for Tennessee. But there may be some optimism for fans as head coach Jeremy Pruitt made clear earlier this week that the reigns at quarterback will be handed over freshman Harrison Bailey and sophomore J.T. Shrout the rest of the way this season and could again provide the shot in the arm that the Vols’ offense desperately needs. A struggling and very short-handed Vanderbilt team might be the perfect opportunity for both quarterbacks to build some confidence in a season that has long been lost.
Pick: Tennessee, 24-13
MVP: Tennessee RB Eric Gray
