Final Oct 29
NMSU 13
FIU 34
Final Oct 29
ULL 23
TXST 17
Final Oct 29
LT 3
SHSU 9
Final Oct 30
JVST 31
LIB 21
Final Oct 30
KENN 14
WKU 31
Final Oct 31
TULN 34
CHAR 3
Final Nov 1
GSU 27 7.0 o48.0
CONN 34 -7.0 u48.0
Final Nov 1
USF 44 -1.5 o48.0
FAU 21 1.5 u48.0
Final Nov 1
SDSU 24 24.0 o55.5
BSU 56 -24.0 u55.5
Final Nov 2
DUKE 31 21.0 o56.0
MIA 53 -21.0 u56.0
Final Nov 2
MISS 63 -8.0 o54.0
ARK 31 8.0 u54.0
Final Nov 2
ME 14 36.5 o49.0
OKLA 59 -36.5 u49.0
Final Nov 2
AFA 3 18.0 o37.5
ARMY 20 -18.0 u37.5
Final Nov 2
BUFF 41 -1.0 o48.0
AKR 30 1.0 u48.0
Final OT Nov 2
NW 26 2.5 o44.0
PUR 20 -2.5 u44.0
Final Nov 2
MEM 36 -7.0 o62.0
UTSA 44 7.0 u62.0
Final Nov 2
TOL 29 -10.0 o54.5
EMU 28 10.0 u54.5
Final OT Nov 2
VT 31 -3.0 o51.5
SYR 38 3.0 u51.5
Final Nov 2
STAN 28 9.5 o46.5
NCST 59 -9.5 u46.5
Final Nov 2
OSU 20 -3.0 o47.0
PSU 13 3.0 u47.0
Final Nov 2
MINN 25 -3.0 o47.0
ILL 17 3.0 u47.0
Final Nov 2
VAN 17 8.5 o48.0
AUB 7 -8.5 u48.0
Final Nov 2
ODU 20 -3.0 o58.0
APP 28 3.0 u58.0
Final Nov 2
TLSA 21 2.5 o57.5
UAB 59 -2.5 u57.5
Final Nov 2
UNC 35 -2.5 o50.5
FSU 11 2.5 u50.5
Final Nov 2
ORE 38 -14.5 o45.0
MICH 17 14.5 u45.0
Final Nov 2
FLA 20 14.5 o52.5
UGA 34 -14.5 u52.5
Final Nov 2
MTU 20 1.5 o49.0
UTEP 13 -1.5 u49.0
Final Nov 2
ARIZ 12 6.0 o55.0
UCF 56 -6.0 u55.0
Final Nov 2
KSU 19 -13.0 o45.5
HOU 24 13.0 u45.5
Final Nov 2
TTU 23 13.5 o56.0
ISU 22 -13.5 u56.0
Final Nov 2
IU 47 -7.5 o53.5
MSU 10 7.5 u53.5
Final Nov 2
UCLA 27 7.5 o38.5
NEB 20 -7.5 u38.5
Final Nov 2
ULM 23 10.5 o48.0
MRSH 28 -10.5 u48.0
Final Nov 2
ASU 42 -5.0 o57.5
OKST 21 5.0 u57.5
Final Nov 2
NAVY 10 -13.0 o49.5
RICE 24 13.0 u49.5
Final Nov 2
WYO 49 9.0 o61.0
UNM 45 -9.0 u61.0
Final Nov 2
CCU 24 -4.0 o51.5
TROY 38 4.0 u51.5
Final Nov 2
MASS 20 19.0 o59.0
MSST 45 -19.0 u59.0
Final Nov 2
HAW 21 12.0 o45.5
FRES 20 -12.0 u45.5
Final Nov 2
LOU 33 10.5 o62.5
CLEM 21 -10.5 u62.5
Final Nov 2
WIS 10 2.5 o40.5
IOWA 42 -2.5 u40.5
Final Nov 2
GASO 34 6.0 o60.0
USA 30 -6.0 u60.0
Final Nov 2
USC 21 -2.5 o55.5
WASH 26 2.5 u55.5
Final Nov 2
UK 18 17.5 o45.5
TENN 28 -17.5 u45.5
Final Nov 2
TAM 20 -3.0 o44.0
SOCAR 44 3.0 u44.0
Final Nov 2
PITT 25 7.0 o56.0
SMU 48 -7.0 u56.0
Final Nov 2
TCU 34 2.5 o64.0
BAY 37 -2.5 u64.0
Final Nov 2
CSU 38 -2.5 o45.5
NEV 21 2.5 u45.5
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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