Vanderbilt @ Wake Forest preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2010 ) Wake Forest 34, Vanderbilt 13

THE STORY: Vanderbilt aims to reach the .500 mark when it finishes the regular season with a non-conference tilt at Wake Forest. The Commodores have dropped six of eight since a 3-0 start, including a 27-21 loss at Tennessee last Saturday, while the Demon Deacons became bowl eligible a week ago by topping Maryland, 31-10. The two clubs are in the middle of an eight-game series set to run through 2015.

TV: ABC/ESPN2. LINE: Vanderbilt -1.5.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (5-6): The Commodores have shown signs of improvement this season despite a 2-6 record in the brutal Southeastern Conference, suffering four of their SEC defeats by eight points or less. Vanderbilt's defense ranks 20th nationally with 324.2 yards allowed per game, and it has scored four touchdowns on interception returns, with junior CB Trey Wilson accounting for two of those. Junior RB Zac Stacy needs just 48 yards to become the school's fourth 1,000-yard rusher.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (6-5): The Demon Deacons are a middle-of-the-pack team in most statistical categories, but they do boast a couple of the most dynamic players in the ACC. Junior WR Chris Givens has caught 70 passes for 1,207 yards (8th in FBS) and nine touchdowns, while senior FS Josh Bush is tied for sixth nationally with six interceptions. The only category in which Wake Forest ranks in the FBS top 25 is turnover margin (tied for 25th at plus 0.55).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series, 7-6, but Wake Forest has won the last three meetings, including a 34-13 road victory last season.

2. The last three games between the two, and seven of the last nine, have been decided by 10 points or more.

3. Despite trailing the head-to-head series, Wake Forest has outscored the Commodores by a sizeable margin (277-217) over the teams' 13 meetings.

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 23, Vanderbilt 21. In a game where neither team has a major edge in any particular category, the Demon Deacons' home-field advantage could be just enough to swing it.