This offseason, defensive back Jordan Matthews opted to transfer out of Tennessee football, but stayed close by. He made the move over to Vanderbilt to stay in the state and SEC.
Earlier this season, Matthews was asked about the decision. In his response, he took an unwarranted and factually incorrect swing at his former school.
“I feel like it’s a nice rivalry,” Matthews said during a Vanderbilt media availability on Tuesday. “It’s deep and rich, and I feel like I embrace the fact that I’m on the other side of it. And now I’m on the winning side of it.”
Vanderbilt is objectively not the winning side in the rivalry. The Commodores have just a 32-81-5 record in the series, including an 11-40-1 mark in Neyland Stadium, where the game will be played this year. Under Josh Heupel, Tennessee is 4-0, also meaning that Matthews was undefeated against Vanderbilt during his time in Knoxville.
UT is also enjoying a six-game win streak in the set.
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Now, it’s time for Matthews to back up his bold claim. Tennessee and Vanderbilt will meet in Knoxville on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET with the game airing on ESPN. A win for the Commodores would keep their playoff hopes alive, though they may need a little help to enter the picture at a potential 10-2.
This season, Matthews has emerged as a solid option in the secondary for Vanderbilt. He has produced 17 tackles, three passes defended and forced a fumble.
In two years at Tennessee, he didn’t see the field very often. He posted four total tackles and two passes defended over the span of the pair of seasons.
Matthews was a four-star prospect out of high school, according to 247. He was considered the No. 244 player in the class and No. 28 cornerback out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
