NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt begins its final month of the regular season at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when South Carolina visits FirstBank Stadium.
Vandy (3-5, 0-4 SEC) has had an extra week to prepare for the Gamecocks thanks to a second bye week this season. The Commodores will also be looking to break a four-game losing streak and to bounce back from a 17-14 loss at Missouri on Oct. 22.
South Carolina had won four in a row before a head-scratching, 23-10 loss at home to Missouri last time out. The Gamecocks (5-3, 2-3 SEC) turned the ball over twice and were held to 203 yards of total offense.
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: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Location: FirstBank Stadium (39,790)
Television: SEC Network
Broadcast Crew
Dave Neal (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (analyst) and Andraya Carter (sideline)
Channel Finder
AT&T | Xfinity | DISH | Comcast
Streaming
Available via WatchESPN
Vanderbilt Sports Network from Learfield
Announcers: Andrew Allegretta (play-by-play), Norman Jordan (analyst), Kevin Ingram (sideline)
On-Air Time: 6 p.m. CT
Affiliates: Nashville WQZQ 93.3 FM; Chattanooga WALV 95.3 FM; Lewisburg WJJM 1490 AM, 94.3 FM; Memphis WMPS 1210 AM, 103.1 FM
Satellite: SiriusXM 202; SiriusXM online 965
Social
Twitter: @VandyFootball and @VandyNotes
Instagram: @VandyFootball
Facebook: @VanderbiltFootball
Streaming Audio
Vanderbilt Athletics App (Free)
Weather
69 degrees at kickoff, 55 percent chance of rain
1. Rattle Spencer
It has been a rough season for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler.
The much-ballyhooed senior has thrown nine picks in eight games and has reached the 200-yard passing mark just three times. Rattler has only had two games this season where he hasn’t thrown an interception.
Rattler spent three seasons at Oklahoma and left high school as a five-star recruit and as the top-ranked pro-style quarterback in the signing class of 2019. But after 23 games with the Sooners he sought out a new opportunity in Columbia, South Carolina.
So despite Rattler’s struggles in his first season in garnet and black, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound native of Phoenix has the pedigree to make plays. And given the fact that Vanderbilt’s pass defense ranks last in the FBS by allowing 317.8 yards per game, Rattler could be licking his chops.
It will be key for the Vandy defense to find ways to force Rattler into more mistakes and to pressure him throughout the contest in hopes of prolonging his frustrating season. Otherwise it will be a long night at the office for the Commodores.
2. Tally the Takeaways
Speaking of turnovers, South Carolina has at least two (two!) in every game this season.
Only one team (Central Michigan) in all of the FBS has turned the ball over more times than the Gamecocks’ total of 19. Their turnover margin of -8 is tied for the fourth-worst mark in the nation.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has been outstanding in the takeaway department this season. The Commodores already have 12 forced turnovers through eight games and registered four at Missouri—their most since, as fate would have it, the 2021 matchup at South Carolina.
Vandy has another golden opportunity Saturday to continue to tally the takeaways against a unit that doesn’t value possession of the football.
3. Reignite the Run Game
The previous two weeks have not been kind to the Vanderbilt rushing attack.
Vandy has totaled just 102 yards on the ground on 51 attempts, an average of two yards per rush against the defenses of Georgia and Missouri, respectively. Leading rusher Ray Davis has been held to 57 yards on the ground over that span as well.
That trend needs to change Saturday for the Commodores’ offense to have some success.
South Carolina’s rush defense ranks 96th nationally by allowing 165 yards per game, but that’s a number that is a bit deceiving given that the Gamecocks have given up only 123.4 yards per contest on the ground the last five outings. Still, there should be some running lanes available Saturday for Davis and Patrick Smith to reignite a dormant rushing Vanderbilt rushing attack.
4. Especially the Special Teams
Vanderbilt will face one of, if not the, best special teams units it has seen all season.
South Carolina ranks among the national leaders in all sorts of specials teams areas, including first with five blocked punts, third in kickoff return average and seventh in punt returns.
The Commodores can not afford to go to sleep on any single special teams snap Saturday in what could be a make-or-break aspect of the matchup.
5. Weather the Circumstances
It’s no secret that the Commodores have struggled to put four quarters of football together. Outside of the season-opener Aug. 27 at Hawai’i, Vandy has had lackluster stretches and lulls during games that have significantly affected the final reading on the scoreboard.
If ever there were a time to reverse that trend it would be Saturday on a cool and rainy night in Nashville. Lea’s squad has vowed to fight no matter the circumstances and the circumstances could be very difficult against a program it has historically struggled against and versus a team looking for a win to make it bowl-eligible.
Vanderbilt’s ability to weather the highs and lows of the first Saturday in November will be an area to watch.
(6.) Salute to Service
Saturday’s game at FirstBank Stadium is Vanderbilt’s annual Salute to Service Game.
Game day activations include a Howitzer Display, a Nashville Army Display, a Salute to Service button giveaway and a Salute to Service rally towel giveaway. Brigadier General John Lubas will do the ceremonial anchor drop before kickoff.
For more information on all the day’s festivities, click HERE.
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.
