AP File Photo by Mark Humphrey / Vanderbilt football coach Derek Mason will try to get his Commodores on track when they host Northern Illinois on Saturday. Vanderbilt is 0-3 after facing a challenging opening schedule that included two conference games against opponents that reached New Year’s Six bowl games last season.Vanderbilt is down to its final Saturday to start over.
Derek Mason’s Commodores arguably faced the nation’s most challenging stretch to open this college football season with the Power Five trio of Georgia, Purdue and LSU. All three of those teams appeared in bowl games last season – Georgia in the Sugar, LSU in the Fiesta and Purdue in the Music City – and all three disposed of Vanderbilt by at least 18 points this year.
This weekend the Commodores will try to become the last Southeastern Conference program to win a game when they host Northern Illinois.
“It feels like it’s been half a season with these guys, but it’s really just the first quarter of the season,” Mason said Wednesday. “We’re starting to get healthier, and we’re starting to get some guys back. This football team has played hard, and they understand where we’re at.
“We’re going to get their best shot, but we’re going to be ready. We understand where we’ve been and where we need to go, and right now it’s about creating some momentum and having some success.”
A win over the Huskies would keep Vanderbilt in the conversation for its third bowl berth under Mason, who is in his sixth season leading the Commodores, and third in a four-year span. A loss, however, would all but shatter those hopes, as Vanderbilt has never earned a postseason opportunity with a nonconference loss to a Group of Five program.
OTHER PICKS
Memphis 22, Navy 19Virginia Tech 28, Duke 21Penn State 31, Maryland 28Oklahoma 55, Texas Tech 22Wisconsin 29, Northwestern 10Iowa 44, MTSU 15Michigan 60, Rutgers 7Clemson 56, North Carolina 14Notre Dame 27, Virginia 16Wake Forest 23, Boston College 13Central Florida 65, Connecticut 6Ohio State 34, Nebraska 9Florida State 26, N.C. State 23Syracuse 41, Holy Cross 0Washington 33, Southern Cal 24Utah 35, Washington State 31Pittsburgh 48, Delaware 18
Vanderbilt already faces long odds, having never reached a bowl after an 0-3 start.
The best news for the Commodores is that Georgia’s Jake Fromm and LSU’s Joe Burrow – quarterbacks who have combined for 23 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season – are in the rear-view mirror. Burrow torched Vanderbilt last Saturday for six touchdowns in a 66-38 runaway, with Mason saying afterward that the Ohio State graduate transfer was the best quarterback he has witnessed during his time in the SEC.
“I saw (Alabama’s) Tua (Tagovailoa) at the end of a game (in 2017), but Joey handled himself and was really composed,” Mason said. “I think he’s got great command of his offense right now, and he was as accurate the other day as anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Pasquali’s Pix
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M: The Razorbacks are on the verge of slipping to 0-10 in SEC games during the Chad Morris era. Aggies 45, Razorbacks 13.
Northern Illinois at Vanderbilt: The Commodores are the nation’s only team to have faced two top-five opponents – No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 LSU – so they could use a breather. Commodores 20, Huskies 16.
Ole Miss at Alabama: The Crimson Tide won 62-7 last season, which was closer than the 66-3 outcome the year before. Crimson Tide 59, Rebels 10.
Western Carolina at UTC: The Mocs have won nine of the past 10 series meetings. Mocs 24, Catamounts 17.
Georgia Tech at Temple: Geoff Collins will come up short in the Geoff Collins Bowl. Owls 26, Yellow Jackets 23.
Towson at Florida: The Gators are playing the Tigers each of the next three weeks, with Auburn and LSU next in line. Gators 52, Tigers 3.
Mississippi State at Auburn: The Tigers have 638 second-half rushing yards this season, which leads the nation. Tigers 34, Bulldogs 17.
Kentucky at South Carolina: The Wildcats are seeking their sixth straight series triumph in this meeting of teams having to play with backup quarterbacks. Gamecocks 25, Wildcats 22.
Last week: Winners – 19; Khakis – 6.
Pasquali is 81-19 overall (81.0%) this season.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.