Anchor Of Gold - All Posts

Vanderbilt Baseball Sets the SEC Record With 26 Conference Wins

2013-05-20T16:03:58Z

One year after rallying to get to the NCAA Tournament, Vanderbilt won't have to hold their breath or rely on a big showing in Hoover to earn a postseason berth. The top-ranked Commodores just pulled off an unprecedented run in conference play to stamp their place in the history books as one of the SEC's most dominant teams.

Vanderbilt finished the 2013 regular season with a 26-3 league mark, setting the Southeastern Conference record for most wins in a season despite losing a game due to rainout against South Carolina. The 'Dores ran through the regular season without losing a single weekend series and trailed for just 26.5 innings in their 29 SEC games. That mark helped Tim Corbin's team earn the top spot in the Coaches', BaseballAmerica, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association polls.

Of course, these Commodores got through with a bit of scheduling luck as well. The SEC missed out on what could have been the biggest regular season matchup of the year when Vandy failed to draw #2 LSU as a conference opponent. The 'Dores also missed out on a showdown with #13 Arkansas. However, Vanderbilt still ran through several ranked teams on their way to the top. They defeated top 20 programs like Oregon, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Louisville, and Mississippi State in convincing fashion to stake their claim as one of the best teams to ever call Hawkins Field home.

As a result, Vandy will be the top seed when the SEC Tournament gets underway this week. They'll face the winner of Tuesday's game between Florida and Texas A&M after a first-round bye. The 'Dores avoided the Aggies during the regular season this year won two of three against the Gators. Vanderbilt and Florida have some recent history in Hoover - the Gators eliminated the Diamond Dores in the tournament final in 2011, and Vanderbilt swept the Gators out of the bracket in 2012 thanks in part to a rare triple steal.

Vanderbilt will have to close out their SEC slate on a strong note to hang on to that top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, even with a disastrous finish in Hoover they should be tabbed for a top-three ranking and a pair of hosting gigs at Hawkins Field - assuming they make it to the Super Regionals. After a monstrous regular season, anything less than a trip to Omaha for the College World Series would feel like a disappointment.

Sheldon Jeter Leaving Vanderbilt :(

2013-05-18T02:28:13Z

Vanderbilt basketball got dealt a big blow on Friday; rising forward Sheldon Jeter won't be returning to Nashville for his sophomore season.

The athletic wing has decided to transfer from Vanderbilt in order to play closer to his Beaver Fall, PA home. Jeter was a bright spot in the 'Dores rebuilding season this winter. The 6'7" guard/forward gave Vandy its most credible inside/out presence, and he stepped into the dunking role that Jeffery Taylor had left behind when he graduated in 2012. Jeter was also the highest rated member of the recruiting class of '12, which featured another player who has decided to leave Memorial Gym behind after just one season - A.J. Astroth.

According to Jeter's Twitter account, the basis for his move is "personal reasons." He has not yet decided on a transfer destination. Given his talent and his desire to play close to home, schools like Pittsburgh and West Virginia may be in the mix for his services - but that's just speculation.

The move will leave a big hole in Kevin Stallings's lineup. Jeter had been primed to take over a starting role in 2013-2014. His emergence sparked the 'Dores turnaround and helped lead a very young team to a 16-win season and a trip to the SEC Tournament semifinals. Rod Odom and Kevin Bright, the last member of Stallings's 2012 haul, will earn additional minutes on the wing in his absence.

Jeter had a bright future ahead of him at Vanderbilt, but you can't argue with personal issues. Here's hoping that Sheldon fixes whatever problems have been hurting him, and that he finds success at his next destination (as long as it isn't Tennessee).

Schadenfreude Fridays: Michelob Beer; Defining the Parameters of Brewed Mediocrity Since 1896

2013-05-17T15:01:08Z

Schadenfreude Fridays were instituted during the Robbie Caldwell era in an effort to make Commodore fans feel better about the 2-10 trainwreck that occupied their Saturdays. Based on the German loanword of deriving joy from the shame of others, these articles explore some of the world's most spectacular failures in hopes of making the Chris Nickson era look good by comparison. For more Schadenfreude Friday articles, check out our archives.

Michelob beer has been a fixture of the American brewing landscape for over a century. Created in 1896, this pale lager was either branded for its namesake, esteemed brewmaster Michelob Michelob, or for a Czechoslovakian town that conspicuously changed its name from Michelob to Mecholupy some years after the beer's popularity began to grow. It's been a member of the Anheuser-Busch family of brews since the 19th century, and has developed from a spotlight beer into a background player in bars, taverns, and saloons across the country. The brand has grown from a single brew to a line of several different tastes, branched out to adapt to the dynamic tastes of the adult beverage market, and even sponsored athletes and sporting events for decades.

And, despite all that, most beer drinkers under the age of 35 couldn't tell you how it tastes.

Michelob is a relic of years past that increasingly only gets mentioned at the bar during long-running games of "Categories." Their ads have dropped from television rotations and their product has faded away from tap lists over the past decade. You'd be hard pressed to find the original label on draft outside of its St. Louis home base. Despite being the beer of choice of a time-traveling Captain James T. Kirk, Michelob has failed to catch on with a new generation of drinkers.

As the craft beer movement has expanded the suds market to a whole new level of quality and diversity, Michelob has suffered considerably. Sales of the flagship lager dropped by 72 percent from 2006-2011, decreasing from 500,000 barrels to 140,000. The numbers for Michelob Light were nearly as bad, dropping by over 66 percent in the same span. Part of this was due to a rise in sales of their new brand-diluting product Michelob Ultra, but the overall trend of declining revenue painted a sad picture for what was once a flagship beer.

The company's social media sentries were apparently the first to be scaled back. The brand's Twitter handle hasn't tweeted since February 2011, and at under 1,500 followers has made less of a viral impact than the fake account made for Kevin Ware's broken leg during the NCAA Tournament. The first official Google result for "Michelob facebook" returns a blank page hosted by the social media empire - though it does have 824 likes.

Much of the brand's capital has instead been devoted to keeping the 95-calorie Michelob Ultra afloat. The brand's marketing has manifested itself by targeting active adults - cyclists, marathoners, triathletes, and other responsible individuals who are terrified of wheat. Ultra solves a first-world problem for people who don't want to drink a beer but also need a bottle handy to take awkward pulls from when their bar conversations dry out.

With a watery taste and less alcohol per volume than most light beers, Ultra hits the rare alcoholic combination of being both bad tasting and unable to get you drunk. Bartles & Jaymes's wine coolers may not pack a punch, but they go down like sugary goodness poured through a rainbow. Steel Reserve tastes like seawater that's been triple-filtered through Kid Rock's fedora, but it'll give you the courage you need to fight the police. Michelob Ultra tastes like grass and won't get you drunk enough to do anything fun, but the company is betting hard that this product will help carry the brand to another 100 years of existence.

That is, if Ultra even has the 4.2% content printed on its label. The brand was one of many targeted in a suit brought against Anheuser-Busch in February for having less alcohol by volume than officially listed. This revelation could further hurt the stock of a product that's being threatened by an expanding market of low-calorie, low-alcohol beers. Beverages like Miller 64 and Bud Select 55 have made inroads on Ultra's burgeoning market of beer drinkers who don't like beer, and this competition could be enough to squash Michelob's most promising line.

Ultra isn't the only new product that Michelob unraveled in order to boosting lagging sales. Anheuser-Busch executives doubled-down on the line's success by expanding it with fruit flavors in the mid-2000s. This included exotic desert plant life as well.

The first additions to the Ultra label were flavors like Lime Cactus and Tuscan Orange Grapefruit. When the latter failed (somehow), it was replaced by Dragon Fruit Peach. Centuries of Trappist brewing secrets and family-guarded brewing traditions had finally ascended to its zenith, and this peak was a four-percent monstrosity that finally unlocked the awesome power of the cactus. Even the pomegranate, a fruit coveted by cultures across the Mediterranean for its natural, beer-enhancing flavor (citation needed), found a place in Michelob's master blends. The quest to create a beer delicate enough to replace the Fuzzy Navel had arrived.

This revelation led to a 10 percent boost in Ultra's sales, but it'd be unfair to pin that improvement on these new extensions alone. As a brand, Michelob has developed a reputation as a key sponsor of some of the shittiest sporting events in America. While Coors Light handles NFL duties and Bud Light drapes their logos across the UFC, Aldophus Busch's creation was the driving force behind women's golf events like the Michelob ULTRA FUTURES Players Championship and the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill. In a shrewd bit of marketing designed to cover all facets of ESPN8's eventual launch, the beer also sponsored events like cycling's Tour of Missouri, the World Poker Tour, and several teams in the U.S. Rugby Super League.

Michelob built on this sports marketing success by reaching out to celebrity sponsors. In 2002, they branded golfer Sergio Garcia with Michelob Light logos and watched the steam of a potential-laden rise to PGA stardom slowly fall off the Spanish duffer. After top 10 finishes in every major event of 2002, Garcia kicked off his new pact with the brand by missing the cut in four of his next nine big tournaments. Michelob celebrated their star athlete by casting him as James Bond and showcasing him in an ad where he throws garbage into the belly button of a shapely lass laying next to him at the pool. Needless to say, none of these spots had a goddamn thing to do with Michelob.

While Garcia went on to be a respected professional on the PGA Tour, he didn't carry the name recognition and championship carriage that the brand was seeking. In 2003, the brand devoted a series of magazine and television ads to 45-year old master's swimmer Paul Carter, who responded to the news by saying "no, I haven't heard of me either." That's when Michelob turned to a can't miss superstar who fit in perfectly with their target audience of runners, cyclists, and triathletes: Lance Armstrong.

Michelob Ultra signed the endurance athlete to a long-term deal one year into his underwhelming comeback attempt in 2009. As a result, the brand had the privilege of being a key sponsor for Armstrong's 23rd place finish in the 2010 Tour de France - his worst showing in the event since 1996 and his last major ride as a respected cyclist. Fortunately for the brewers, they were able to catch the icon at the height of his powers as a triathlete. Armstrong won a pair of half-Ironman events in 2012 and showcased a bright spot for the connection between Michelob and Armstrong before things took a terrible turn for the worse.

The quest to sell triathlon beer for triathlon people started off with good intentions, but Armstrong's reputation as a self-described "arrogant prick" put him closer to Barry Bonds than Bob Uecker in terms of customer relatability. When allegations arose that his body was 95% shark testosterone in 2012, the cyclist's contract with the company was not renewed. Michelob's last promotion with Armstrong - a contest in which winners earned the opportunity to pedal futilely as the seven-time Tour de France winner left them in his dust - turned out to be the Texan's last major sponsorship to date.

via Deadspin, and img.gawkerassets.com

These lackluster campaigns were a turn from the brand's earlier ads that celebrated drinking, nightlife, and losing vast swatches of time thanks to the magic of beer. The Ultra lifestyle was a significant departure from slogans like "Weekends were made for Michelob" and "The night belongs to Michelob" - campaigns that enlisted Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, and...Steve Winwood to turn the beer into an upscale party lager. Over two decades, Michelob went from being the beer that fueled 48 hours worth of bad decisions into the only beer with the essential cactus taste to quench your thirst after an ultramarathon.

The brand also abandoned something called Michelob Oily, which probably was a good thing in the long run, but certainly deserves mention here:

via bloglawblog.com

On one hand, Michelob bucked the stereotypical beer cliches when it came to their recent advertising. They weren't pushing a beer that was manly, or tough, or even pleasant tasting. On the other side of the coin, the brewery was clearly running with a fad, and while exercise and athletic endeavors are a noble cause to cater to, it seems as though the executives behind Michelob Ultra have forgotten that 1. they're still selling alcohol and 2. the American beer market will always be dominated by the sedentary. Even so, the brand is delving deeper into the "healthy drinking" movement, starting with a new line of gluten free ciders. For Anheuser-Busch, the future of a 117 year old beer is to move Michelob as far from its namesake lager as possible.

So in summary, Michelob has seen sales of its regular and light beers fall by more than two-thirds since 2006. Over that span, they've introduced terrible flavors like pomegranate beer and sponsored events like women's golf and semi-pro rugby in America. They worked to pioneer the ultra-low calorie beer market only to have their thunder stolen by Miller and Coors in recent years. Their sponsorship deals with athletes led to prolonged slumps and came just in time for the awful parts of Lance Armstrong's career. Then, they got sued for overstating the alcohol content in even the lightest of their light beers.

But Michelob isn't dead yet, and one of America's oldest lagers is hoping to find a Pabst-style revival in the coming years. They're betting hard that fruit flavors and low calorie counts are the infusion that a tired brewery needs to chug on for another century. That's a long time to hope that most triathletes double as closet alcoholics, but it's comforting to know that someone's looking out for the endurance athlete in all of us.

Vandy Signs 6'10 PF Luke Kornet, Adds to Class of '13 Big Man Haul

2013-05-14T16:25:49Z

Vanderbilt basketball got a big commitment on Monday when three-star recruit Luke Kornet signed his official letter of intent to play for the Commodores in 2013. Kornet, a 6'10" power forward out of Argyle, chose to play for Kevin Stallings despite scholarship offers from Kansas State and TCU, according to Rivals.com.

Kornet will instantly add size and length to a Vanderbilt team that was severely lacking big men. The Commodores used a small ball lineup throughout 2012-2013 with only Josh Henderson and Shelby Moats available to play center and protect the rim. Kornet's signature, along with Damian Jones's previous commitment, will give the 'Dores two newcomers this fall that can play around the basket, block shots, and provide offense in the paint.

While Jones is more of a traditional big man, Kornet is built more like the kind of stretch forward that Stallings has been able to get mileage out of in the past. The Texan's ability to shoot three-pointers will allow him to fill a Ross Neltner/Steve Tchiengang role in the offense. However, at just 195 pounds the spindly forward will have plenty of weight training ahead of him before he'll be ready for SEC play.

Vanderbilt had an extra scholarship slot available after Darius Thompson de-committed and chose to attend Tennessee earlier this spring. The departure of freshman wing A.J. Astroth, who has decided to transfer, will also open up space for the rangy big man. Conventional wisdom suggests that he'll redshirt as a freshman in order to gain weight and learn to deal with NCAA forwards, but he could be pressed into action early thanks to the team's limited supply of fresh bodies in the frontcourt.

The Commodores are primed for an improvement after last year's 16-17 finished. Vanderbilt ended the season on a high note and are only losing Astroth from 2013's young squad. Kornet will eventually add length and shooting to the team's frontcourt, and his height and ability to play weakside defense could make him invaluable to this team in the future. Though he's not a high-profile prospect, he fits well into Stallings's system and should be able to have a significant impact with this team as seasons go by.

So, Remember That Time Jacquese Kirk Stabbed A Former Vandy OL?

2013-05-13T22:07:54Z

Vanderbilt CB/WR Jacquese Kirk announced that he was transferring to Jacksonville State earlier this spring. The official team reason, according to head coach James Franklin, was due to a "violation of team rules."

It turns out that stabbing a former teammate is one big violation of said rules.

Kirk admitted on Monday that his transfer stemmed from an incident at the Tin Roof bar on Demonbreun Street where he stabbed former Vandy lineman Justin Cabbagestalk with a pocket knife. Cabbagestalk declined to pursue charges against Kirk, and no charges were filed against the redshirt sophomore. The former offensive line prospect apparently didn't even know he'd been stabbed until he felt a hole in his shirt several minutes later. A late night trip to the emergency room - hours after the original incident - confirmed that the wound had nicked his intestines.

The report is equal parts surprising, bizarre, and disheartening. It's disturbing that two teammates would come to blows, let alone that the altercation would result in Kirk pulling out a knife and trying to seriously injure another person. On the other hand, Cabbagestalk's entirely nonchalant response to the events stand to make him a Bill Brasky figure on West End.

More importantly, while it's understood that these issues are private and that there were no charges filed, a stabbing certainly merits more discipline than a punitive transfer. Kirk certainly deserved to be dismissed from the team following such a reckless stunt. If Cabbagestalk were still a part of the program, he'd merit punishment as well for his role in the altercation. The team's inability to get ahead of this story, control the lead, and ensure that all parties were held accountable is a disappointing revelation for James Franklin and his staff.

Franklin has declined the opportunity to update his statement on Kirk, but we'll hopefully learn more about the situation as time progresses.

Jared Morse is currently suspended from the team for undisclosed violations of team rules as well. I wonder who he stabbed?

Former Oklahoma State QB Wes Lunt Considering Transfer to Vanderbilt

2013-05-13T20:02:50Z

Wes Lunt, a former four-star recruit who threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns in just his third game in the NCAA, is leaving Oklahoma State. He has named Vanderbilt as one of the five schools that he is debating on for his transfer destination.

Lunt came on strong in his first month of NCAA play, but suffered a knee injury and then a concussion that kept him from hanging on to the starting job in Stillwater. When it became clear that the Cowboys had a crowded house at quarterback, the would-be sophomore decided to find greener pastures. Those pastures may include Vanderbilt, a destination with a loaded depth chart of its own at QB. The Commodores will have Patton Robinette, Johnny McCrary, Josh Grady, and recruits K.J. Carta-Samuels and Elijah Staley competing for snaps in 2014. Louisville, Tennessee, Illinois, and Southern Mississippi are also contenders for Lunt's services.

Vanderbilt had offered Lunt a scholarship back in 2011, but the dropback passer chose the Cowboys and their wide-open passing attack instead. His home-state school, Illinois, may have an early edge in his renewed recruitment, but their recent offensive struggles could make programs like Vanderbilt's and Louisville's more attractive. With Grady able to play several different roles on the offense and Staley penciled in as an "athlete" right now, the 'Dores could feasibly make space for the talented gunner for 2014. Vandy recently lost a passing prospect when four-star QB Chad Kanoff declined his scholarship offer in Nashville to attend Princeton as well.

Lunt has the skill to become a high-level starter in the SEC if he stays healthy, and he'd be a boost to whichever roster he ends up on. Still, it's tough to see him choosing the Commodores after leaving Oklahoma State due to congestion on the depth chart at quarterback. While Austyn Carta-Samuels's graduation next year would likely leave the team with a quarterback competition for '14, Lunt would be playing catch-up behind players like Robinette and McCrary.

It's a nice boost for James Franklin to have a well-recognized prospect put Vanderbilt in his final five. Lunt may end up being Vanderbilt's quarterback of the future, but the 'Dores have the personnel to survive without him. Even with that in mind, expect Franklin and his staff to put the full-court press on Lunt, especially with Tennessee in the thick of the competition for his services.

Vanderbilt Baseball Sweeps Kentucky; Wins SEC Title

2013-05-12T21:23:35Z

Conrad Gregor squeezed the ball in his glove at first to throw the final shovelful of dirt on Kentucky's comeback chances, and walked to the mound as a SEC Champion.

A routine ground ball to second base ended Sunday's contest in Lexington, and it signaled three more weekend wins for the Commodores, who clinched the regular season Southeastern Conference title with the win. A sweep over Kentucky gave Vanderbilt 21 wins in their last 22 league matchups and gave the 'Dores the SEC crown with a week left to play in the regular season. Despite playing in one of the country's best conferences, Vanderbilt has dispatched nearly all competition to make a strong case for their selection as the nation's top seed when the NCAA Tournament rolls around in June.

Tony Kemp had eight hits in the series to push his average to .404 and solidify his claim as the SEC's top position player. Behind him, Connor Harrell continued what is turning out to be his best season in black and gold with a pair of home runs four RBI to give the 'Dores some meat in the middle of the lineup.Tyler Beede overcame some control issues to notch his NCAA-leading 13th victory in game two. He looks primed to follow in Grayson Garvin's footsteps and become the team's second Saturday starter to be named conference Pitcher of the Year.

The Commodores have developed into the country's hottest team, and that's thanks to solid play from top to bottom that leaves few weaknesses for opponents to exploit. Despite lacking the star power of 2007 and 2011's teams, these Diamond Dores have made several big statements in a season that could be considered Vanderbilt's finest ever when all is said and done. Coach Tim Corbin will have to find a way to sustain this momentum with a trip to Hoover, AL looming for the SEC Tournament, but at this point it seems pretty likely that we'll see postseason baseball return to Hawkins Field this summer. There's still plenty of work to be done, but Corbin and his boys can relax a little bit while they ride back from Lexington and enjoy the fruits of their labor for a few hours. If tradition holds true, there will be a handful of devoted fans waiting for them to bask in that glow - that is, until Belmont crosses Natchez Trace to finish up Vandy's non-conference schedule on Tuesday.

Predicting the Future: How Will Vanderbilt Football Do in 2013?

2013-05-09T16:53:35Z

College football insiders might not think much of the Brand New Vanderbilt. Despite returning a stacked receiving corps and much of the defense that ranked 15th nationally in points allowed, Football Outsiders is projecting a 6-6 season for James Franklin's third year. That outcome is the most common result of 1,000 simulated seasons - not one of which includes a SEC title for the Commodores. While dreams of a December date in Atlanta might still be a few seasons away, a return to .500 football seems like quite a letdown for a team that finished their 2012 season on a seven-game winning streak and with a victory in the Music City Bowl.

FO's model has some gravity behind it. Vanderbilt will go into 2013 without the services of its best quarterback since Jay Cutler (Jordan Rodgers) and the best running back in school history (Zac Stacy). The defense will have to fill holes left by quiet leaders Trey Wilson, Archibald Barnes, and Rob Lohr. Now that we are three years in to Franklin's tenure, it's time to see whether or not the players that he's recruited are ready for prime time roles with a surging Commodore team.

Vanderbilt will play 12 regular season games this year. Seven of those will take place in the friendly confines of Dudley Field. Five will come against programs that are likely to be ranked in the top 25 at some point next season. While the 'Dores are fortunate to avoid SEC behemoths like Alabama and LSU, they'll still be big underdogs in showdowns with Texas A&M, Georgia, and Florida.

Can Vandy run through their 2013 schedule and shock the world? Anything's possible. But for a more realistic look at their fall slate, let's take a closer look at each game and this team's chances at pulling out a victory. Yes, James Franklin and his coaching staff would string us up for this given the team's "one week at a time" mentality, but let's gaze into the crystal ball anyway.

Game 1: vs. Mississippi - Vanderbilt has been impressive against Ole Miss in recent years, winning the last three contests against their West rivals and posting a 5-1 record in the past six years. The sportsbooks have taken notice, and that's why Vandy opened as a 6.5-point favorite when the season's odds first came out last week. That number has dropped slightly, but the Commodores should still remain favored as the season draws on.

Mississippi will be better in 2012, and they very nearly held off the 'Dores in Oxford last season. Bo Wallace is developing into one of the SEC's biggest passing threats and a stacked recruiting class will build on last year's bowl-winning season. Still, until the Rebels prove that they can break the Vanderbilt curse it's tough to lean away from the home team in this one. Possible win (1-0).

Game 2: vs. Austin Peay - Moving on. Win (2-0).

Game 3: at South Carolina - Vanderbilt nearly toppled the Gamecocks last season, losing 17-13 after a missed pass interference call cut the Commodores' rally short. However, that game also happened at home, in an unpredictable season opener, and with a USCe quarterback who could barely lift his arm above his neck in the second half. 2013's battle between SEC East rivals is shaping up to be another defensive battle, and unless Jordan Matthews can guide his team to an offensive explosion we may be due for a repeat of 2012's contest.

Jadeveon Clowney will be waiting to address whomever wins Vandy's quarterback battle (likely Austyn Carta-Samuels, but let's not rule anything out), and a stout Gamecock defense should be strong enough to limit the 'Dores rebuild running game. It's still early in the process, but for now let's lodge this one in the L column. Probable loss (2-1).

Game 4: at Massachusetts - The Commodores in Gillette Stadium! Who's coming with me?!? Win (3-1).

Game 5: vs. Alabama-Birmingham - The Blazers went 3-9 in 2012 and would have ranked 32nd in the FCS subdivision according to Jeff Sagarin's rankings. It's not as much of a lock as UMass or Austin Peay on the schedule, but it's definitely the gluten-free butter cream alternative to APSU's red velvet cupcake on Vandy's ledger. Probable win (4-1).

Game 6: vs. Missouri - Vanderbilt and Mizzou played one of the ugliest games of 2012 last season as both teams failed to get anything going on the offensive end. In case you've blanked all memory of this game from your mind, Vandy didn't get a first down until midway through the second quarter, but the Tigers' special teams mistakes -including a botched extra point and an errant snap through the end zone - kept the 'Dores alive long enough to pull out the win.

Missouri lost starting QB James Franklin in the first quarter of last year's game, and he'll be looking for revenge this fall. Like Ole Miss, Vanderbilt will face a better team than the one that they toppled in 2012. They'll also have home-field advantage this time around. It'll be a battle, and potentially not a pretty one, but this one certainly has the makings of a key Commodore win. Possible win (5-1).

Game 7: vs. Georgia - The less said about last year's Georgia mollywhopping, the better. Vanderbilt has traditionally played Mark Richt's Bulldogs tough, but this will be a tough one to win, even in Nashville. Maybe this is the year that James Franklin finally gets his revenge on Todd Grantham, but it's difficult to see a victory materializing in week eight for the 'Dores, even after a valuable bye week. Probable loss (5-2).

Game 8: at Texas A&M - Johnny Football welcomes the Commodores in Vanderbilt's first matchup with Texas A&M in school history. The Aggies boasted one of the nation's highest-powered offensive attacks in 2012 and Johnny Manziel's ability to run the ball could give this team fits if Jeff Driskel's performance against the 'Dores last year is any indication. A&M will put Bob Shoops's defense to the test, and while a deep Vandy D should be able to respond well, this team may not have the firepower that it needs to compete at Kyle Field. Possible loss (5-3).

Game 9: at Florida - Vanderbilt will be able to give the Gators a challenge, but history is not on their side. Everything that we said about Ole Miss's struggles against the 'Dores apply in the opposite direction for the Vanderbilt/Florida rivalry. Until this team proves that it can do anything more than just scare the Gators it's tough to see this one as a potential win for Franklin's 2013 team. Vandy hasn't won in the swamp since 1949. Probable loss (5-4).

Game 10: vs Kentucky - Mark Stoops undoubtedly has his team pointed in the right direction. However, Vanderbilt has smoked the Wildcats by a combined 78-8 score in their last two meetings. Factor in Vandy's home-field advantage, and you've got a likely victory (and potential bowl eligibility) for Franklin's team. Probable win (6-4).

Game 11: at Tennessee - Hoo boy. The Volunteers would like nothing more than revenge for last year's streak-breaking loss in Nashville. Unfortunately, they'll have to do it without Tyler Bray, Cordarelle Patterson, or Justin Hunter. New coach Butch Jones will be looking to make a statement in his first battle for I-40, and he'd like nothing more than to send Vandy back into "little brother" mode. Neyland Stadium will be packed full of fans that will be louder than ever now that the 'Dores pose a credible threat to their boys in orange.

However, Vanderbilt's got the momentum in this series, and they'll have a wealth of talent on their roster that should be able to overcome the partially-rebuilding Volunteers. It's difficult to predict where a game like this will end up. Both teams will be carried by their emotions and battling towards either bowl eligibility or a more attractive postseason bid. Expect this to be the most raucous crowd the 'Dores face in 2013 - but expect this team to rise to the challenge, as well. Possible win (7-4).

Game 12: vs Wake Forest - Wake has quietly become a very appropriate rivalry for the Commodores. The Demon Deacons won three straight games against the 'Dores from 2007-2010, but Vandy has beaten their ACC foes to take a 4-3 series edge since 2000. Wake was underwhelming last season, and four of their five wins came over bad teams like Virginia, Boston College, and Army. They'll be stronger in 2013 as QB Tanner Price develops and tailback Josh Harris looks to improve on an injury-riddled junior season, but Vanderbilt should be able to dispatch the 'Deacs and get their recent series record back to .500. Probable win (8-4).

So that's how our 2013 projection shakes out. Technically, we're within FO's range of wins; the 'Dores could end up anywhere between 4-8 and 8-4 in their scenarios. A second straight eight-win regular season would put Vanderbilt in the New Year's Day bowl range and add to James Franklin's list of records at what was traditionally the SEC's football doormat. However, there's still a lot of ground to cover before we get there. While matchups against teams like Austin Peay and UMass will give this team some confidence boosting wins, there's always room for disappointment against tough mid-level opponents like Missouri and Ole Miss.

That said, we put our season prediction on last year's team at eight wins, and Wild Dogs, Fly Boys, and Hollywood Jordan Rodgers came through in a big way to validate the hope and trust fans put in that squad. This year, they're a couple of key upsets away from making a run at 10 wins or more. They'll have to work harder than ever to get there, but Franklin and his crew have proven that determination is the perfect supplement to the talent that they are developing on West End. This staff has done an incredible job of squeezing every ounce out of their players, and that's something that computer projections can't measure.

So think of eight wins as next year's baseline. Is that dreaming big? Sure. But it's something that Commodore fans never would have done in the past...and this is a Brand New Vanderbilt.