LIVE Halftime Nov 22
TEM 17 17.0 o55.5
UTSA 28 -17.0 u55.5
LIVE 12:06 2nd Nov 22
PUR 3 14.0 o48.5
MSU 10 -14.0 u48.5
UNLV -7.5 o60.0
SJSU 7.5 u60.0
WAKE 23.5 o66.5
MIA -23.5 u66.5
CONN 10.0 o54.5
SYR -10.0 u54.5
IOWA -4.0 o43.0
MD 4.0 u43.0
MISS -11.5 o55.5
FLA 11.5 u55.5
ILL 1.0 o46.5
RUTG -1.0 u46.5
SMU -10.0 o55.5
UVA 10.0 u55.5
SHSU 6.0 o57.0
JVST -6.0 u57.0
IU 10.0 o52.5
OSU -10.0 u52.5
UNC -2.5 o52.0
BC 2.5 u52.0
MASS 42.0 o55.0
UGA -42.0 u55.0
WKU 1.5 o56.5
LIB -1.5 u56.5
UTEP 41.0 o52.5
TENN -41.0 u52.5
CHSO 33.5 o44.5
FSU -33.5 u44.5
RICE -7.0 o52.0
UAB 7.0 u52.0
BGSU -11.5 o54.5
BALL 11.5 u54.5
NMSU 3.5 o53.0
MTU -3.5 u53.0
JMU -7.5 o58.5
APP 7.5 u58.5
ULM 3.0 o52.5
ARST -3.0 u52.5
FIU -9.0 o42.5
KENN 9.0 u42.5
ARIZ 10.5 o59.5
TCU -10.5 u59.5
CHAR -3.0 o48.5
FAU 3.0 u48.5
USA -23.5 o54.0
USM 23.5 u54.0
WIS 1.0 o41.0
NEB -1.0 u41.0
GASO 2.5 o58.5
CCU -2.5 u58.5
UCF -3.5 o61.5
WVU 3.5 u61.5
TTU -4.0 o66.0
OKST 4.0 u66.0
NW 10.5 o36.5
MICH -10.5 u36.5
CIT
CLEM
SDSU 5.0 o61.0
USU -5.0 u61.0
TLSA 17.5 o60.5
USF -17.5 u60.5
ECU 3.0 o72.5
UNT -3.0 u72.5
PSU -11.5 o45.0
MINN 11.5 u45.0
COLO -2.5 o59.5
KU 2.5 u59.5
BYU 3.5 o48.5
ASU -3.5 u48.5
UK 20.5 o46.5
TEX -20.5 u46.5
STAN 14.5 o53.5
CAL -14.5 u53.5
LT 24.0 o48.5
ARK -24.0 u48.5
WOF 42.5 o49.5
SOCAR -42.5 u49.5
PITT 8.0 o58.0
LOU -8.0 u58.0
MIZZ -9.0 o58.0
MSST 9.0 u58.0
TROY 9.5 o52.0
ULL -9.5 u52.0
BSU -23.0 o55.0
WYO 23.0 u55.0
GSU 20.5 o59.0
TXST -20.5 u59.0
WSU -11.0 o56.5
ORST 11.0 u56.5
BAY -8.0 o50.5
HOU 8.0 u50.5
ARMY 14.0 o45.5
ND -14.0 u45.5
MRSH 3.0 o51.5
ODU -3.0 u51.5
TAM -2.5 o45.5
AUB 2.5 u45.5
ISU -6.5 o42.0
UTAH 6.5 u42.0
ALA -14.0 o46.5
OKLA 14.0 u46.5
VAN 7.5 o54.0
LSU -7.5 u54.0
VT -3.0 o46.5
DUKE 3.0 u46.5
CIN 9.5 o53.5
KSU -9.5 u53.5
CSU 3.0 o45.0
FRES -3.0 u45.0
USC -4.5 o51.5
UCLA 4.5 u51.5
AFA 3.0 o44.5
NEV -3.0 u44.5
Final Nov 19
AKR 38 -10.5 o49.0
KENT 17 10.5 u49.0
Final Nov 19
WMU 14 -6.5 o56.5
CMU 16 6.5 u56.5
Final Nov 19
NIU 9 1.0 o43.0
M-OH 20 -1.0 u43.0
Final Nov 20
BUFF 37 1.0 o53.0
EMU 20 -1.0 u53.0
Final Nov 20
OHIO 24 1.0 o46.5
TOL 7 -1.0 u46.5
Final Nov 21
NCST 29 7.5 o51.5
GT 30 -7.5 u51.5
Middle Tennessee 6th Conference USA8-6
Vanderbilt 11th Southeastern6-7

Middle Tennessee @ Vanderbilt preview

Vanderbilt Stadium

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2017 ) Vanderbilt 28, Middle Tennessee 6


Vanderbilt opens its season at home Saturday against Middle Tennessee State looking to build off a five-win campaign last season, which ended with the Commodores missing a bowl game for the third time in the past four years. A promising 3-0 start quickly was swept away by losses in seven of their next eight games and improving the defense is a must for success this season after the Commodores finished 11th in the SEC in points allowed per game (31.3).

The Commodores hope new defensive coordinator Jason Tarver - hired from the San Francisco 49ers - can shore up a unit that only returns four starters. “Teams aren’t made this time of year,” Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason told reporters Tuesday. “Teams are made in the summer. I thought we had a good summer.” Senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur returns after a tremendous 2017 season and has the school’s career passing yardage record in sight, but the Commodores will have to navigate a rough schedule which includes trips to No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 4 Georgia, plus three consecutive SEC road games late in the season. The Blue Raiders overcame an injury-filled 2017 season - in which players missed a combined 125 games with injuries - to win a bowl game for the first time in five tries since 2009.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network Alternative. LINE: Vanderbilt -3

ABOUT MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE (2017: 7-6): Quarterback Brent Stockstill owns the school’s all-time records for passing yards (8,951) and touchdowns (77), but has missed nine games the past two seasons with injuries. Wide receiver Ty Lee led Conference USA in receptions in 2017 with 79, and a trio of running backs - Tavares Thomas, Brad Anderson and Terelle West - combined for 1,306 yards rushing and 47 receptions a season ago. The Blue Raiders return nine starters on defense, highlighted by linebacker Khalil Brooks and his 17 tackles for loss last season (tops in C-USA), including 7.5 sacks.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (2017: 5-7): Shurmur (school-record 26 touchdown passes a season ago) enters the season 2,963 passing yards shy of breaking Jay Cutler’s school record of 8,697, but he lost three seniors from an experienced receiving corps. All-time school rushing leader Ralph Webb graduated, leaving the running game to Illinois transfer Ke’Shawn Vaughn (2015 Big Ten Newcomer of the Year) and Khari Blasingame. Senior safety LaDarius Wiley and senior linebacker Charles Wright lead the defense with Wiley recording a team-high 88 tackles a season ago and Wright finished last season with nine sacks – most by a Vanderbilt player since 1993.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Vanderbilt forced only nine turnovers last season, tied for the second-lowest total in FBS behind Rice.

2. Middle Tennessee State faces three SEC teams (Vanderbilt, No. 4 Georgia, Kentucky).

3. The two teams have met six times since 2001 with each squad winning three times (Middle Tennessee State in 2001, 2002 and 2005; Vanderbilt each of the past three seasons).

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 24, Middle Tennessee State 20

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