Clark Lea rapidly turned some heads earlier this summer at Southeastern Conference media days when he said, “We know in time that Vanderbilt football will be the best program in the country.”
Since that comment, Lea’s Commodores are undefeated with an average victory margin of 53 points.
Vanderbilt’s 63-10 thrashing of Hawaii in Honolulu last weekend was unexpected to say the least. Sure, the Rainbow Warriors had to replace more than half of their roster after the turbulent coaching regime of Todd Graham, and last week’s blowout doesn’t change the fact that the Commodores will carry a 21-game SEC losing streak into Alabama on the last Saturday of September.
But a 53-point win at Hawaii sounds a whole lot better than last season’s 23-3 opening loss to East Tennessee State in Nashville.
“For me, it wasn’t a bold statement,” Lea said Wednesday when asked to reflect on his words in Atlanta. “That was not the intention. It’s the vision for this program, and those within our program hear that or some version of that every single day. This isn’t something we dream up in moments where we have a podium and an audience.
“This is something we try and live out every single day. We’re still early on this journey, and there is a process involved to unlock the potential of this program, and it’s certainly not going to happen overnight, but our performance in our first game reflected a trajectory.”
Vandy hosts Elon this week and will face Wake Forest at home before traveling to Northern Illinois and then ending with eight straight SEC games.
The Commodores went to three straight bowl games under James Franklin (2011-13) and defeated rival Tennessee three straight times under Derek Mason (2016-18), but they suffered an 0-9 collapse in Mason’s last season in 2020 and went 2-10 in Lea’s debut.
“We’re realistic about where we are,” Lea said, “but when our team focuses in on our own process and finding our own highest level and worrying less about who we’re playing against and more about how we’re controlling the things we can control, we have a chance in every game that we play.
“As we come into contact with what we’re capable of and what the potential is here, I think that delivers a confidence, and, over time, that’s going to deliver this program to the height that I know it can get to.”
Having spent the past 12 seasons at Notre Dame, where he led the Fighting Irish to a 113-39 record and a 44-6 mark his last four seasons, first-year LSU coach Brian Kelly was asked Wednesday on the SEC teleconference to compare the programs in South Bend and Baton Rouge.
“Well, they’re ranked fifth in the country, and we’re not even ranked,” Kelly said. “If you look at it from that perspective, many people feel like Notre Dame has really talented players, and we’re in a developmental process right now.”
The Tigers have won three national championships since Notre Dame’s last crown in 1988, and they’ve done it with three different coaches: Nick Saban (2003), Les Miles (2007) and Ed Orgeron (2019).
South Carolina opens year two of the Shane Beamer era Saturday against Georgia State, with Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer rightly pointing out how the Panthers have been quite the recent nuisance for SEC teams.
“Georgia State beat Tennessee a few years ago, and they would have beaten Auburn last year had Auburn not converted a fourth-and-9,” Beamer said.
Pasquali’s Pix
Ball State at Tennessee: This finally will prove that the top football program in Knoxville, Tennessee, is superior to the top football program in Muncie, Indiana. Volunteers 59, Cardinals 17.
Oregon vs. Georgia: SEC teams have combined to win 11 consecutive Chick-fil-A Kickoff games. Bulldogs 34, Ducks 13.
Wofford at UTC: The Terriers were 37-15 in the four seasons before the coronavirus outbreak but are 2-14 since with one Southern Conference win. Mocs 27, Terriers 6.
Mercer at Auburn: If Bryan Harsin can survive an internal coup, then he can survive the SoCon’s Bears. Tigers 31, Bears 14.
Elon at Vanderbilt: Don’t look now, but the Commodores lead the nation in scoring offense. Commodores 37, Phoenix 14.
Utah State at Alabama: And thus begins life after neutral-site openers for the Crimson Tide, who went 11-0 in such pairings under Nick Saban by an average victory margin of four touchdowns. Crimson Tide 55, Aggies 6.
Notre Dame at Ohio State: Knute Rockne’s first game as Irish coach came against the Case School of Applied Science in 1918. Marcus Freeman got the short end of that stick playing the Buckeyes in Columbus. Buckeyes 38, Fighting Irish 17.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: Nothing like Georgia Tech having to use a silent count on offense in Atlanta. Tigers 45, Yellow Jackets 10.
Other picks:
Missouri 34, Louisiana Tech 19
Texas A&M 55, Sam Houston St. 16
Arkansas 27, Cincinnati 24
Ole Miss 49, Troy 22
Kentucky 38, Miami (Ohio) 13
Utah 26, Florida 21
Mississippi St. 42, Memphis 35
South Carolina 31, Georgia St. 20
LSU 20, Florida State 17
Pittsburgh 33, West Virginia 28
Wake Forest 52, VMI 9
N.C. State 29, East Carolina 26
North Carolina 24, App State 23
Virginia 21, Richmond 14
Oklahoma 48, UTEP 27
Michigan 44, Colorado State 11
James Madison 23, MTSU 22
Last week:
Winners — 0
Frosts — 0
Pasquali is winless and undefeated at the same time.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.