NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt faces a second straight SEC road game Saturday when it heads to the Palmetto State to take on South Carolina.
The Commodores (2-4, 0-2 SEC) are coming off a 42-0 loss at No. 20 Florida in which they, at times, played much better than the final score. But the Dores have still been outscored 104-0 in two SEC matchups this season.
South Carolina (3-3, 0-3 SEC) is trying to bounce back from a 45-20 defeat at Tennessee in which it trailed 38-7 at halftime. The Gamecocks have dropped 3 of 4 after a 2-0 start and have lost nine league games in a row.
Here is more on how to watch, listen to and follow Saturday’s contest as well as five key matchups to consider when the Commodores face the Gamecocks:
When: 3:01 p.m. CT Saturday
Location: Williams Brice Stadium (77,559)
Television: SEC Network
Broadcast Crew
Dave Neal (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (analyst), Andraya Carter (sideline)
Channel Finder
AT&T | Xfinity | DISH | Comcast
Streaming
Vanderbilt Sports Network from Learfield
Announcers: Andrew Allegretta (play-by-play), Norman Jordan (analyst), Kevin Ingram (sideline)
On-Air Time: 3 p.m. CT
Pregame Show: 1:30 p.m. CT
Affiliates: Nashville WQZQ 830 AM, 93.3 FM; Chattanooga WALV 105.1 FM; Lewisburg WJJM 1490 AM, 94.3 FM; Memphis WMPS 1210 AM, 103.1 FM
Satellite: SiriusXM 192; SiriusXM online 963
Social
Twitter: @VandyFootball, @VUCommodores and @VandyNotes
Instagram: @VandyFootball
Facebook: @VanderbiltFootball
Streaming Audio
TuneIn ($)
VUCommodores (Free)
Weather
82 degrees at kickoff, partly cloudy, 17 percent chance of rain
1. A Chance for Defensive Dominance
Partly due to injuries and partly due to the installation of a new offensive system, the Gamecocks have yet to find their footing when possessing the ball in 2021.
South Carolina ranks 111th in total offense this season and has yet to put up more than 255 yards in any one single game. At 22 points per game, South Carolina ranks 108th nationally in scoring.
Those numbers would seem to indicate the Vanderbilt defense has itself a golden opportunity to put forth on of its best performances of the season if it comes ready to play.
2. (Don’t) Give it Away, Give it Away, Give it Away Now
Vandy better take care of the ball Saturday.
South Carolina has a whopping 14 takeaways through six games this season – and that number includes the fact it didn’t cause a turnover in the loss at Tennessee. Only six teams in college football have more takeaways than the Gamecocks and in every game outside of the matchup with the Volunteers they have forced at least two.
This could certainly be an issue for the Commodores who have thrown eight interceptions and lost four fumbles. Those 12 giveaways are among the most in the FBS.
Securing the ball is always imperative and doing so on the road is doubly so. Securing the ball at South Carolina may be the difference between a win and loss.
3. Eyes on Doty and Joyner
South Carolina has had a revolving door at quarterback, but now appears to have settled on sophomore Luke Doty as the permanent starter moving forward.
Doty has played in four games this season and has completed a shade less than 60 percent of his passes. Doty also made 70 pass attempts over the course of South Carolina’s final three games in 2020.
But Vandy can’t just sit back and worry about a game plan for Doty. The Gamecocks coaching staff is on record in wanting to get junior wide receiver Dakereon Joyner more involved from behind center.
Joyner, who had a 47-yard touchdown run at Vanderbilt in 2020, could be called on at any moment if the Gamecocks are looking for an offensive spark or to further complicate matters for the Commodore defense. Thus, Vandy better have schemes drawn up to defend two quarterbacks Saturday.
4. Stay on the Field
Vanderbilt’s third-down offense has left much to be desired.
Although the Dores have improved in that regard over the last two games (14-for-37, 37.8 percent), a 31.7 conversion clip over the course of six games has Vandy among the worst success rates in college football.
South Carolina’s defense has struggled on the crucial down by surrendering a first down 46 percent of the time. So it will be key for the Commodores to get themselves into a short-yardage situation on third down and to take advantage of the Gamecocks’ inability to make stops.
5. Just for Kicks
Two teams desperate for an SEC win could equate to a close game Saturday. And a close game means each team’s kickers will have their opportunities.
South Carolina has a strong weapon in senior Parker White who has made all nine of his field goal tries in 2021 and is 11 of 11 on extra points. White has made 65 field goals during his stellar career in Columbia.
Vandy, meanwhile, will be hoping for a bounce-back game from Joseph Bulovas who missed three field goals at Florida. But Bulovas also has two game-winning kicks for the Dores this season.
Whichever kicker brings his best Saturday could play an integral part in the eventual outcome.
(6.) Those Pesky Gamecocks
Vanderbilt first played South Carolina in 1961. It started playing South Carolina annually starting in 1992.
It has beaten the Gamecocks just four times over that span.
For whatever the reasons have been, South Carolina always seems to have the Commodores’ number. South Carolina started the series with seven wins in a row before Vandy finally pulled out victories in 1998 and 1999 – by a combined four points. Since 2000 the Dores have found only two more triumphs – one in 2007 and one in 2008.
Vanderbilt’s four wins in the series have been by a combined total of 22 points. And, oddly enough, only one of the four wins came when the Commodores went on to have a winning season (2008).
Vandy head coach Clark Lea went 0-3 against the Gamecocks as a player with two of the defeats coming in Nashville.
South Carolina enters Saturday’s game having won 12 straight in the series and six in a row at home.
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.
