The 119th all-time meeting between Tennessee and Vanderbilt may be the most anticipated one yet.
The Volunteers host the Commodores on Saturday in Knoxville in the first-ever meeting where both programs are ranked coming into the contest. In addition to their top 20 rankings in the AP poll, Tennessee is No. 19 in the College Football Playoff rankings, while Vanderbilt sits 14th.
“It’s a congratulations to both of us,” Vanderbilt receiver Junior Sherrill said ahead of the regular-season finale for both teams. “We’re putting on for the state of Tennessee. That means a lot to me because I’m from the state of Tennessee. Being able to showcase our talents, like there is talent in the state of Tennessee. That is a pretty big deal to me.”
Tennessee has won six matchups in a row and leads the all-time series 81-32-5. Last season, the Volunteers recovered from an early 14-0 deficit to post a 36-23 win over the Commodores.
Fast forward to the present and Tennessee (8-3, 4-3 SEC) has had a defensive resurgence in the last two weeks. The team smashed New Mexico State (42-9) and Florida (31-11) in its two most recent contests, allowing just 261 total yards in the romp over the Gators.
“Just continued growth,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said of his defense. “Getting some guys back healthy has helped as well, but our young guys have continued to mature throughout the course of the year. It takes all 11 doing their job.”
On the offensive side of the ball, Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar has completed at least 60% of his passes in every game since the season opener. He completed a season-high 77.3% (17 of 22) against Florida.
“I think because of who he is, that’s where it starts,” said Heupel, noting that Aguilar has been successful because of his humility and kind-hearted nature. “That’s why his teammates gravitated to him really quickly, and then he plays extremely hard. So you combine all those factors, I think he represents what Tennessee football is, but what this fan base is all about too.”
Tennessee is 0-3 against ranked opponents this season, so Vanderbilt (9-2, 5-2) will likely pose a legitimate challenge. The Commodores have defeated three ranked opponents, and they’re coming off a convincing 45-17 triumph over Kentucky.
Diego Pavia went 33-of-39 for 484 yards with five touchdowns for Vanderbilt, which led 45-3 before allowing two late touchdowns. Pavia also had a team-high 48 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Tennessee certainly will build its defensive game plan around slowing Pavia and Tre Richardson, who recorded 159 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Kentucky.
Tight end Eli Stowers is a force in his own right, posting team highs of 57 catches for 705 yards this season.
If the Commodores’ dynamic weapons continue to dominate, Vanderbilt has an excellent chance to post one of the most impactful wins in school history.
“(This rivalry) means a lot,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “This game is always meaningful. I’m in this mode where I’m just trying to build a program that punches back, that takes that stage and belongs on that stage. We’re getting there. That’s meaningful to feel like there’s a significance of this game.”
–Field Level Media
