NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt ends its nine-game stretch to start this season by hosting Missouri at 2 p.m. Saturday. Vandy will be off the following week before three SEC games end the regular season in the month of November.
The Commodores (2-6, 0-4 SEC) fell 45-6 to Mississippi State last time out at Vanderbilt Stadium. That was the 17th consecutive league loss for Vanderbilt dating to a 21-14 victory over No. 22 Missouri on Oc.t 19, 2019.
Vandy is 3-19 overall since that win.
Missouri (3-4, 0-3 SEC) was off last week. The Tigers have lost 3 of 4 and 4 of 6 overall with wins coming against Southeast Missouri State and North Texas, respectively.
Vanderbilt and Missouri have played annually since 2012 and the Tigers own a 6-3 record over the Dores during that span.
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 Tigers:
When: 2:05 p.m. Saturday
Location: Vanderbilt Stadium (39,790)
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: 2 p.m. CT
Pregame Show: 12:30 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 191; SiriusXM online 962
Social
Twitter: @VandyFootball, @VUCommodores and @VandyNotes
Instagram: @VandyFootball
Facebook: @VanderbiltFootball
Streaming Audio
TuneIn ($)
VUCommodores (Free)
Weather
56 degrees at kickoff, cloudy, 40 percent chance of rain
1. Another Tough Assignment for the Defense
For the second straight week, Vanderbilt is facing one the nation’s top passing attacks and one of the nation’s best offenses on third down. That is a concern considering the results from the most-recent Saturday.
Vandy allowed Mississippi State to convert 11 of its 16 third-down chances and to pass for 463 yards. Now it goes against a Tigers’ team that ranks eighth nationally on third down (50 percent) and 21st in passing offense (286.9 ypg).
The Commodores will have to prove they can make adjustments and, ultimately, makes plays against a similar offensive attack to the one they just faced.
2. Getting the Ground Game Back on Track
Vanderbilt’s ground game had seemingly started to gain some (relative) steam.
Three games against Connecticut, Florida and South Carolina, respectively, produced a modest 300 yards combined on the ground. But the bottom fell out against Mississippi State in which Vandy was held to an astonishing nine yards.
Vanderbilt must find a way to get its rushing offense back on track. The good news is that Missouri comes to town with a defense that surrenders 286.6 yards per game – the second-worst clip in the nation.
Missouri has allowed at least 174 rushing yards in every game this season and at least 275 in five contests.
3. Putting Points on the Board
Vanderbilt is averaging 8.6 points per game over its last seven SEC matchups. This season the Commodores have scored a total of 26 points in league games and have been shutout twice.
The Commodores have to figure out a way to start putting the ball in the end zone – regardless of the opponent. Vandy’s 11 total touchdowns is only two more than Arizona’s national low of nine.
Missouri could be the opponent to ease some of those woes. The Tigers are giving up 37.1 points per game and have allowed at least three touchdowns every time out in 2021.
Can Vanderbilt have its breakout game offensively this Saturday? The numbers seem to indicate it can.
4. A Badie, Badie Man
Vanderbilt’s defense must find No. 1 on every snap. Missouri running back Tyler Badie is used in a myriad of aways inside the Tigers’ offense.
The senior is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and has scored nine times on the ground. He also has 32 receptions – four for touchdowns – for 265 yards.
Badie had seven receptions for 102 yards and five carries for 18 yards in 2020 against the Commodores. He also scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the Tigers’ 41-0 win that day.
5. All Out Before Being Out
Saturday’s game marks the ninth in a row for the Commodores to start the 2021 campaign.
At the base level of building head coach Clark Lea’s program there has been adversity at every level, from losing the season-opener to East Tennessee State to South Carolina scoring a game-winning touchdown in the final minute to being shutout twice in four SEC games.
Vandy will have its idle date during the first weekend of November. And while the Dores undoubtedly go all-out every time they step on the field, Saturday’s outing should allow them to play with some reckless abandon knowing they’ll have an extra week to recover once all is said and done.
(6.) Breast Cancer Awareness
Vanderbilt football will help gain attention for the threat of breast cancer by donning pink accessories during Saturday’s game. Pink ribbons have been painted on Dudley Field as well.
Many Commodores have been affected by the disease as well, including tight end Justin Ball and punter Harrison Smith.
— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.