5 players on Vanderbilt every Alabama fan should know ahead of Week 4

Alabama fans should get to know these players ahead of the Crimson Tide’s Week 4 matchup against Vanderbilt.

Alabama and Vanderbilt are set to square off in Bryant-Denny Stadium for a Week 4 matchup that features the undefeated Crimson Tide and a 3-1 Commodores team.

The last time these two programs faced off was during the 2017 season and a young Tua Tagovailoa made his college football debut. That game ended with a final score of 59-0. Alabama went on to win the College Football Playoff national championship.

Before Vanderbilt makes its way south to Tuscaloosa, there are a few players that Crimson Tide fans should get familiar with.

Here are five Vanderbilt Commodores that you need to know before the Week 4 matchup.

Vanderbilt vs. NIU, live stream, preview, TV channel, time, how to watch college football

The Vanderbilt Commodores will meet the NIU Huskies in Week 3 of the college football season on Saturday afternoon from Huskie Stadium.

Vanderbilt is coming off a 45-25 loss to Wake Forest as they look to bounce back with QB Mike Wright at the helm. As for NIU, they are coming off a 38-35 loss to Tulsa as they look to rebound at home today.

This will be another great day of college football, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action on Saturday.

Vanderbilt vs. NIU

When: Saturday, September 17
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: CBSSN
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

NCAA Football Odds and Betting Lines

NCAA odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds were updated at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Vanderbilt vs. NIU (-2.5)

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Vanderbilt Commodores Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Vanderbilt College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Vanderbilt Commodores Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Vanderbilt season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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Vanderbilt Commodores Preview
Head Coach: Clark Lea, 2-10, 2nd year at Vanderbilt
2021 Preview: Overall: 2-10, Conference: 0-8
Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Vanderbilt Top 10 Players | Vanderbilt Schedule & Analysis

Vanderbilt Commodores Preview 2022

So the first year under head coach Clark Lea was … rough.

It was a 2-10 run that started with a blowout loss to East Tennessee State, came way too close to being 0-12 – no SEC team should’ve beaten 2021 UConn by anything less than 30; it was a 30-28 victory – and it was a tough watch from beginning to end.

However, Lea can coach defense – that’s how he made his reputation – and he can recruit.

The 2022 recruiting class might not seem like much to most SEC teams, but it was a top 40ish overall haul full of a slew of very promising players who should see time right away. That’s where the improvement is about to come – the talent level is better.

This isn’t a totally impossible situation, but the SEC has become unfairly awesome, and now it’s up to Vanderbilt to find a niche.

It might be on defense, and with a tough running game, and with a team that will be physical on both sides of the ball.

Nothing massive will happen overnight, but the 2022 team will be better. That’s a start.

Vanderbilt Commodores Preview 2022: Offense

The offense needs something it can rely on.

It was a struggle to move the ball, score, everything – it scored 17 points or fewer six times and only came up with more than 24 twice. The offense averaged just 313 yards and 16 points per game, with nothing happening down the field.

There’s experience, and it starts with an offensive front that has to generate a better push. It wasn’t bad in pass protection, and there were moments for the ground attack.

The best blocker of the bunch – left tackle Tyler Steen – is gone to Alabama, but Jacob Brammer from North Texas will help, and three starters are back starting with veteran center Julian Hernandez.

The backs are fine. Re’Mahn Davis was great as a freshman at Temple, but he missed time in 2020 and only played three games last year. When he’s right, he’s a potential difference maker to go along with 2021’s leading rusher Rocko Griffin.

Can the offense settle on a steady quarterback? Mike Wright led the team with eight touchdown passes, Ken Seals led the way with 1,181 yards and now both are back. Seals isn’t much on the move and Wright can run, but the former will likely get the start.

The receiving corps gets back second-leading receiver Will Sheppard – he was one of the better downfield threats – but Cam Johnson is gone to Arizona State and leading target Chris Pierce is done. The recruiting class will play a huge role – at least that’s the hope.

Vanderbilt Commodores Preview 2022: Defense

The defense fought the good fight.

It was the worst D in the SEC in both scoring and total yards allowed, but it wasn’t awful on third downs, it didn’t break quite enough to to be totally destroyed in every game, and it had a decent pass rush.

Georgia rolled at will, Florida did whatever it wanted, and Mississippi State threw for a bazillion yards, but the stats don’t quite tell the whole story – the offense didn’t give the other side a lick of help.

It’s an experienced group returning – helped with a few transfers – but the depth is very, very, very young. There will be growing pains, but this D should be stronger.

The Commodores have a playmaker in Anfernee Orji, who led the team in tackles and tackles for loss, and coming to help in the middle is Kane Patterson from Clemson to go along with second-leading tackler Ethan Barr.

Barr tied for the team lead with three picks, and now the secondary has to do a whole lot more. Maxwell Worship is a strong-tackling safety, and Jeremy Lucien is coming in from UConn to take over one of the starting corner jobs. This group can hit, but it has to break up more passes.

Even with DT Raashaan Wilkins going to Illinois, the line should be a strength if the starting group can stay healthy. Nate Clifton and Malik Langham are big bodies, but they have to get into the backfield more.

Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Vanderbilt Top 10 Players | Vanderbilt Schedule & Analysis

Vanderbilt Commodores: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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Winners and losers from college football’s ‘Week 0’

Some teams stood out for the right reasons. Others… not so much.

Well, that was fun!

The long offseason finally came to an end on Saturday, and though no ranked teams took the field during the preliminary Week 0 action, fans were treated to a handful of exciting college football games.

The headliner was the Big Ten matchup between Nebraska and Northwestern in Dublin, in which the Cornhuskers squandered an 11-point lead in a 31-28 loss that does not bode well for fifth-year coach Scott Frost, who may be coaching for his job in 2022.

With the first weekend of college football in the books, here’s who stood out — for either the right or wrong reasons.

Week zero best bets

Week zero @Tipico best bets

College football is back baby and that means it is time to get your bankroll ready and dive into all the good stuff that our good friends at Tipico have to offer. Week zero is here and there is a plethora of totals and sides to choose from.

It is key to remember that football season is a marathon, not a sprint and it is never wise to unload that entire bankroll the first week. We typically talk Big Ten and Buckeye football and we will no doubt have a few Big Ten contests to sprinkle some money on, but there is also a pair of games that are unrelated that are intriguing as well. Let’s dive in!

SEC football odds: Are Alabama and Nick Saban still untouchable?

Saban’s crew might be on a mission, but this is a stacked conference.

In the 16 years since Nick Saban took over as Alabama head coach, they have been the questioned kings of college football. The 70-year-old Saban has taken the Crimson Tide to nine National Championship games, and they’ve won an astonishing six of them.

Year in and year out, Alabama is usually a factor in the title picture, and Saban is to thank.

But after the rival Georgia Bulldogs tore Saban’s crew apart last January, it might be fair to wonder whether there’s more vulnerability in the Alabama crew than most think. And entering 2022, the SEC, on the whole, looks absolutely stacked on paper. To even return to January and make up for last winter’s failure, there’s a gauntlet ahead of the Crimson Tide.

Here’s a rundown of the preseason favorites in the SEC as Saban and Alabama try to climb over a metaphorical mountain of competitors. All odds and ends are courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook as of Week 0.

[tipico]

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores A looooong trip for Vanderbilt Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire SEC team coming to the islands Hawaii opens up its season at home in Week 0 and they get to host an SEC team in the Vanderbilt …

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

A looooong trip for Vanderbilt

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

SEC team coming to the islands

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Hawaii opens up its season at home in Week 0 and they get to host an SEC team in the Vanderbilt Commodores. This is a game the Warriors as just around a touchdown home underdog — the line has varied between 6.5 and eight points.

This is a game that is a very good test for new Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang to get his feet wet. It will not be an easy matchup with SEC talent and the Warriors rebuilding with a first-team head coach and a roster that lost a lot to the transfer portal.

To get even more info about this Vanderbilt team, we reached out to Chris Lee who covers Vanderbilt and the SEC and asked him a few questions to get everyone ready for this Saturday night matchup.

— What does starting quarterback Mike Wright bring to this Vanderbilt team and who is expected to be on the receiving end of his passes?

Wright is blazing fast (he ran a 10.8 in the 100 meters in high school) and is the emotional leader of the team. He’s capable of making big plays with his feet and his arm but his accuracy is a huge question coming into the season.

Top targets should be wide receiver Will Sheppard (who had a tremendous camp following a breakout season), tight end Ben Bresnahan, and receivers Jayden McGowan and Quincy Skinner.

Hawaii Football: First Look At The Vanderbilt Commodores

— What are the expectations this year for the Commodores?

Most Vegas win totals are around 2.5 wins and I’d say that’s not far off. Derek Mason left behind a flaming dumpster fire in many ways, not the least of which was talent( Vandy had nobody picked in last year’s NFL Draft, and just two players invited to camps) and so it’ll take coach Clark Lea a couple of years to recover from that.

The team is more talented and Lea seems to be doing a better job of developing players, and I expect it will be noticeably better. But the schedule is brutal, and so I could be correct and the ‘Dores could still be 3-9.

— Who are the most important players on this team?

Wright, Sheppard, and Ray Davis on offense. Davis is a very talented running back who missed almost last year due to health.

On defense, linebacker Anfernee Orji is widely considered the team’s best player, but LB/S De’Rickey Wright may be its most talented, and safety Jaylen Mahoney was probably the defense’s best player in both spring and fall camps.

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

— How important is this game for Vanderbilt’s success in 2022?

It’s enormous. The Commodores have a 21-game Southeastern Conference losing streak and in last year’s opener, laid a major egg in a 23-3 loss to East Tennessee State, which was the first game after a winless 2020 season. As bad as things have been at Vanderbilt for decades, going winless and losing to an FCS team were firsts.

As a result, a cloud of negativity hangs over the program and fan engagement is at an all-time low. The Commodores need to get a win early and if they can’t beat a rebuilding Hawaii team, it’s tough to look down the schedule and see any success past the Elon game next week.

— Hawaii is expected to throw the ball a lot under new head coach Timmy Chang. How does Vanderbilt expect to attack/defend that type of game plan?

I think Vandy’s secondary is going to be a lot better. Mahoney has a shot to be an NFL Draft pick, safety Max Worship had a good camp and Wright is a super-talented player who can cover and make things happen. Mahoney and Worship are seniors as is starter BJ Anderson, who’s healthy after missing almost all the last two years with injury. There’s some experience and depth behind those guys too.

The key may be generating a pass rush, which was non-existent last year and the prospect doesn’t look much better there this season.

— How do you see this game playing out?

I think based on experience and a perceived edge at skill position talent, Vanderbilt should win. My prediction is 37-24, but as last year’s opener proved (Vandy was about a 20-point favorite in that one) this team can take nothing for granted.

The key for Vandy will be winning or breaking even in turnover margin, and having Wright complete enough throws to keep the chains moving and keeping the defense off the field. My guess is you’ll see a run-heavy approach from the Commodores, with Davis getting a lot of carries and several short targets, too.

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Top-5 most watchable games of Week 0

To help you plan your Saturday, we’ve ranked the five most watchable games of the weekend.

College football has finally arrived… kinda.

There are real games this weekend, including games between Power Five opponents, but the overwhelming majority of teams aren’t starting their seasons until next week, hence this week being deemed Week 0 of the 2022 college football season. And yes, if we’re being honest, this is not the most exciting slate of games we’re going to see this season, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to be tempted to watch your first college football in nearly eight months.

To help you plan your Saturday, we’ve ranked the five most watchable games of the weekend. Grab some chips, maybe a chicken wing or two, mow the lawn early and enjoy some college football. You’ve earned it.

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Stream live college football games every week this season from conferences across the country on ESPN+.

Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 0 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by Idaho State, Illinois, UConn, New Mexico State, and Vanderbilt ahead of Week 0?

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 0 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by Idaho State, Illinois, UConn, New Mexico State, and Vanderbilt ahead of Week 0?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What to keep in mind before kickoff.

Idaho State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: The Bengals’ projected starting lineup on offense and defense features 12 different players who are listed as either freshmen or sophomores, as well as each of the six starters listed on special teams.

Why that could be important: Give new ISU head Charlie Ragle some credit, the program isn’t taking any half-measures in building itself back up to respectability. While some familiar names, like former Wyoming quarterback Tyler Vander Waal, center Terron Carey, and linebacker Charles Ike, will bring some much needed veteran leadership, nearly everyone else is in for a crash course through which it seems likely they’ll take a few lumps. For UNLV, it means they should be able to win this game going away if they’re set on making a leap in 2022.

Illinois (link to game notes)

What stands out: Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito is the likely starter for the Illini at quarterback.

Why that could be important: Illinois hasn’t really had a lot of juice at the game’s most important position since Nate Scheelhaase left in 2013, but DeVito could be the answer that they need at the position and may thrive under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who helped Frank Harris emerge at UTSA.

It’ll be crucial, then, that Wyoming finds a way to create pressure early and test how well DeVito will be able to stand in and make plays. Running back Chase Brown is likely to get his one way or another, so winning the game may depend on the Cowboys limiting damage through the air.

UConn (link to depth chart)

What stands out: With wide receiver Cameron Ross sidelined for the season with a broken foot, the depth chart at the position features three sophomores.

Why that could be important: The quarterback situation, which new head coach Jim Mora deemed as a competition between “four good players that haven’t played a lot”, will grab more headlines, but whoever emerges from that scrum is going to need reliable targets. Ross, the team’s leading pass catcher back in 2019, was expected to re-establish himself as a potential number one though it appears now that’ll fall again to Keelan Marion, who paced the Huskies in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season.

Kevens Clericus, the projected starter opposite Marion, did have 20 catches in 2021 while grad transfer Nigel Fitzgerald did get some playing time himself at Old Dominion. For Utah State’s purposes, it clarifies who the defense is likely to prioritize in shutting down the UConn offense.

New Mexico State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: A couple of familiar names appear in the secondary’s two deep. Former UNLV safety Bryce Jackson is listed as a starter opposite sophomore Dylan Early, while former Colorado State cornerback Linwood Crump is expected to provide some depth.

Why that could be important: The strength of the Aggies defense is at linebacker, but they still gave up far too many big plays in 2021 and that is something about which Nevada is almost certainly familiar. Cornerbacks Syrus Dumas and D.J. McCullough combined for five interceptions last season, but the rest of the defense had five interceptions combined. Don’t be shocked if the Wolf Pack try to test the transfer-reinforced secondary early.

Vanderbilt (link to depth chart)

What stands out: Mike Wright, named as the starting quarterback, will have some young wide receivers to throw to after Will Sheppard in sophomore Quincy Skinner and freshman Jayden McGowan.

Why that could be important: The Commodores aren’t wasting time surrounding their new QB1 with the weapons they’ve deemed most reliable, but neither Skinner nor McGowan have caught a pass at the FBS level yet. That’s not to say both can’t step up and contribute as expected — Skinner was previously part of a state championship team at Florida’s St. Thomas Aquinas while McGowan was a track star and deep threat receiver in his home state of South Carolina — but Hawaii’s veteran-laden secondary will get a decent test right away.

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Rutgers football recruit Ted Gregoire talks pushing decision back

Three-star Ted Gregoire discusses pushing his college announcement back.

Ted Gregoire had been eyeing a July decision for his college announcement. But now the New Jersey defensive lineman is taking a step back to evaluate his options.

The Hudson Catholic defensive lineman is a consensus three-star who holds Power Five offers from Rutgers, Syracuse and Vanderbilt as well as programs such as Army, Columbia, UMass, Princeton and Yale among others.

Gregoire was scheduled to announce his college decision on July 23 but he has pushed back that timeline a bit. He hopes to announce it before his senior season but he has no date in mind.

“I don’t have any timeline for announcing or picking a school but hoping for before the season,” Gregoire told RutgersWire on Tuesday. “Like I say, God got a plan for me.”

Gregoire underscored that he wants to make the right choice and not rush things.

“I’m just preparing myself for my last high school year and just getting better every day and being the best teammates and team player I can be,” Gregoire told RutgersWire on Monday.

“I’m not in a rush for my decision because God has a plan for me. So going day by day and getting better physically and mentally that my number one goal for me.”

Gregoire took an official visit to Rutgers football in June.

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He told RutgersWire after his visit that his time with the Big Ten program on his official visit was a positive one:

“So Rutgers is in Jersey and I’m from Jersey, so I already know a lot from there. I’ve seen a couple of things I’ve never seen before. A couple of things I’ve never seen before so that was pretty cool on the visit,” Gregoire told RutgersWire in June.

“And on the visit, they talk more about how they used me and how things might go if I go there – if that’s the direction I choose. For the most part, I had a good time.”

He said that everything with the Scarlet Knights “is still the same” as it was after his official visit.

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