No. 23/22 Missouri (4-0, 0-0 SEC) at Vanderbilt (2-3, 0-1 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 30 • 3 p.m. CT
FirstBank Stadium • Nashville, Tenn. • SEC Network
• Vanderbilt returns to FirstBank Stadium at 3 p.m. Saturday to host Missouri on SEC Network. The Commodores and Tigers will be meeting for the 16th time since 1895. Vanderbilt’s last win in the series came in 2019 in Nashville, a 21-14 victory.
• Vanderbilt was narrowly edged out in last year’s contest at Missouri. The Tigers jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first half but the Dores held Missouri scoreless in the second half. Vanderbilt cut the Tigers’ lead to three with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell 17-14. Jaylen Mahoney’s 5.0 tackles for a loss matched the Vanderbilt single-game record set by Stephen Weatherly in 2014 vs. Tennessee.
• Four of the last five contests between Vanderbilt and Missouri have been decided by nine points or less.
• The Commodores fell 45-28 to Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium last Saturday. The offense surpassed the 300-yard mark for the fourth consecutive game, but the Wildcats took advantage of a pair of pick-sixes to help secure the win.
• John Howse IV grabbed the first interception of his career at the midway point of the first quarter against Kentucky. Jeffery Ugochukwu tallied his first career interception later in the game, bringing Vandy’s season tally to seven. This marked the second time this season Vanderbilt had two interceptions in a single game (8.26.23 vs. Hawai’i). The Dores’ eight turnovers gained is first in the SEC and 20th in FBS.
• Sophomore slinger AJ Swann has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 1,290 yards this season to rank second in the SEC and top 10 nationally among FBS quarterbacks in both categories. Swann has thrown for three or more touchdowns four times through his first 12 collegiate starts. He ranks 10th in FBS this season with 76 points responsible for.
• Will Sheppard moved into sixth in program history with his 18th and 19th career touchdown receptions Sept. 9 at Wake Forest. He broke into the top 10 for career receptions with his 132nd career catch last Saturday against Kentucky. His six receiving touchdowns this season is tied for most in FBS.
• Freshman wide receiver London Humphreys, who was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after the Wake Forest game, had his second-straight 100-yard performance at UNLV, as he caught three passes for 102 yards and a TD. Humphreys is first in the SEC and second nationally among freshmen in total receiving yards this season. His 24.9 yards per catch is tops in the SEC and sixth in FBS.
