The Vanderbilt Commodores are showing signs of improvement this season compared to previous years.
At 2-2 heading into October, the ‘Dores opened the season with back-to-back wins over the Virginia Tech Hokies and Alcorn State Braves. They lost to the Georgia State Tigers before taking the No. 9 Missouri Tigers to overtime in Columbia before falling just short in a 30-27 loss.
Quarterback Diego Pavia has played very well for Vandy, going 54-for-85 for 721 passing yards and six touchdowns to zero interceptions. Pavia also leads the team in rushing with 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Playing well against Virginia Tech or Missouri is one thing. Still, the true barometer for whether Vandy is any different will come this weekend when they host the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Commodores have lost 23 straight games against Alabama, with their last victory coming on September 29, 1984, when Vandy went into Tuscaloosa and won 30-21.
Speaking to the media this week, Pavia says that the past doesn’t matter and that things are different now at Vandy and in college football overall.
“This is a whole new team. You know, the NIL era is… every team will be different every single year, but we’ve got a team full of dogs who prepare every week like they want to play on Sundays,” Pavia said via On3.
Should Vandy win, it would certainly make an impact both in the SEC and nationwide, as Alabama now has a fast track to the conference championship and College Football Playoff after last week’s victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.
[On3]
