Saturday Predictions: Vanderbilt at Wake Forest

Vanderbilt has opened the season 2-0, but the competition will step up in a big way on Saturday. The Commodores travel to Wake Forest, a team that beat them 45-25 last season.

Will this year’s game be closer? Could Vanderbilt pull out a win? We asked the writers.

Tom Stephenson

Vanderbilt’s tendency to start slow has unfortunately continued into this season, and I don’t know what the fix is. It seems like the best-case scenario is to get through the “feeling each other out” phase of the game with it scoreless late in the first quarter, rather than down 14-0.

Unfortunately I don’t think Vanderbilt is there yet. Wake is a solid program that’s playing at home and I don’t think Vanderbilt gets out of here with a win.

The Pick: Wake Forest 38, Vanderbilt 24

The SEC Upset Pick of the Week: It was a bit off the radar, but CAL (+6) went on the road and hammered North Texas last week, and this week they get Auburn at home. Auburn is about to learn what the Hugh Freeze Experience is really about.

Andrew VU ‘04

Coming into the year, I figured we’d boat race both Hawaii and Ramajama A&M, and, considering Wake’s stud QB transferred to Notre Dame, I’d be feeling pretty pretty pretty good going into our third game of the season.

Then the Hawaii game happened, and we needed divine intervention to win. Then the Gump A&M first half happened, and D-Linemen averaging 75 lbs less than our O-Linemen spent most of that half in our backfield. Oh, and our CBs are still getting toasted like marshmallows over the campfire of our bowl hopes.

My confidence level has subsequently dropped to “middle school dance” level right now. If our boys don’t collectively get their backs off the middle school gymnasium wall, gin up their confidence, and ask these girls to dance, Wake Forest is going to stomp all over our bowl hopes like the bullies they looked like in last year’s game.

Should we be able to beat a Wake Forest team without a stud QB in year three of a Coach’s tenure? Absolutely. Will we? Well...

The Pick: Wake Forest 34 - Vanderbilt 20.

The SEC Upset Pick of the Week: Arizona (+10) over Clanga. In fact, I’ll take Zona by 11.7 points just to piss those Animal Husbandry majors off.

Patrick Sawyer

Time to make a mark. Vanderbilt can either step up or get knocked down here. On ability, it should be a close game. The Commodores have been a bit off in some unexpected ways though. The second half against Alabama A&M was nice but not enough to erase the previous 6 quarters.

My gut and head say that the Wake offense is too tricky to stop with the CB issues. The Dores offense, especially the OL, has sputtered at times, too.

My heart feels like this isn't SOV. They'll play well when it matters and find a way to win.

The Pick: Vanderbilt 20, Wake Forest 31

The SEC Upset Pick of the Week: None? For maximum hilarity, let's go Miami over Texas A&M though.

Cole Sullivan

blah

The Pick: blah

The SEC Upset Pick of the Week: blah