Nov 292 min read

Tennessee Looks to Finish Season Strong Against Vanderbilt

Head coach Josh Heupel and the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) look to end their season on a high note and improve their College Football Playoff ranking as they head to Nashville, Tenn. and take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (6-5, 3-4). The Volunteers defeated the UTEP Miners (2-9, 2-5 Conference USA) 56-0 last week, while the Commodores lost to the LSU Tigers (7-4, 4-3 SEC) 24-17. The Volunteers and Commodores will face off at noon EST on Nov. 30 at FirstBank Stadium.

What's at Stake?

The Volunteers are looking for their second straight 10-win season with a victory over the Commodores. A win would bolster Tennessee's chances to secure a position in the SEC championship game and a spot in the 12-team CFP field.

The Commodores are seeking to defeat the Volunteers for the first time since 2018.

Key Players: Tennessee

QB Nico Iamaleava, DL James Pearce Jr.

Iamaleava is the backbone of the Volunteers offense, and he had quite the game in the victory over the Miners, completing 17 of 23 passes for 209 yards and 4 touchdowns. He had a flawless game, albeit against an inferior opponent.

Pearce also had an excellent game against UTEP, boosting his NFL Draft stock with 3 tackles, including 2 sacks. He is a projected first-round draft pick.

Key Players: Vanderbilt

WR Quincy Skinner Jr., LB Langston Patterson

Skinner played well in Vandy's loss to the Tigers, finishing with 3 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown, including a 63-yard reception.

Patterson was a workhorse on defense for the Commodores in the loss to LSU. He finished the game leading the team in tackles with 9. The Dores reply on him substantially as a defensive team leader. In nine games played, Patterson has racked up 61 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. He has also broken up 2 passes and recovered a fumble.