Vanderbilt-Alabama preview: Can the ‘Dores do it again?
Josh Pate looks ahead to Saturday’s SEC tussle in Tuscaloosa - a rematch of last year’s stunning 40-35 upset in favor of Vanderbilt. Subscribe to “Josh Pate’s College Football Show” on YouTube.
Video Transcript
Game day in town for this, everyone's attention is on it.
Vanderbilt for the first time in my lifetime.
It has the full attention of a program like the University of Alabama.
Like everyone's paying attention to the game.
I don't know if you're new to college football, if that really clicks with you, but if you've been around for a while, you know, if you're like 25 or older and you've got a sense of history about the game, for Vanderbilt to have Alabama and the country's full attention in a matchup like this is amazing.
For that matter, for Vandy to be in Tuscaloosa.
And only be a 10.5 point dog.
It's also a really, really big deal, but they don't want to cover, they want to win, so let's talk about it.
Can Vandy pull it off again?
Let's take a look at what the model thinks.
FanDuel number has come down.
This was at one time, I think Bama minus 13.5.
We got it at 12.5 the other night when we were doing the Sunday show.
That's what it was at.
It's at Bama minus 10.5 now.
We still think the numbers should be lower.
Our model has Bama minus 9.
We took Vandy at 12.5 as one of our best bets of the weekend.
I just flat out think they're a good enough team to hang with Alabama.
They got a puncher's chance of beating Alabama.
They will be within reach, and I also go back to this, okay?
I know if you're a Bama fan you think to yourself, we just beat Georgia, and you did, and that's wonderful.
Think about the Kalin DeBoer profile, the team profile.
What's his best team be?
His best team's been Washington, and that Washington year where they went all the way to the title game.
I remember that year, number one, because I kept picking against him and being proven wrong; it's like a pie in the face every weekend, but the other thing I remember is how many one possession games they played, you know, even in his best year, the wins are close wins.
They didn't blow many people out.
And so I think about this game.
I think Alabama will win the game.
That's my pick.
I think Alabama will win the game.
But pulling away from Vanderbilt is not gonna be easy.
And I'll tell you this, I was looking at our power ratings a little while ago, just in terms of raw power rating.
Strip away the Vanderbilt logo, they compare very favorably to Michigan right now.
If Michigan were coming to Tuscaloosa Saturday, you would still think you're gonna win, but a lot more of the country would be taking them seriously.
They'd be taking the matchup seriously.
That's how seriously you should be taking this.
That's the caliber of team that Vanderbilt is right now.
Uh, Michigan, USC was another one that was right there.
Again, these are not teams you think are as good as Alabama.
I don't think they're as good as Bama.
But you would take the threat seriously.
Take this threat very seriously.
We're taking Vandy to cover.
That's actually one of our best bets of the week, but I am taking Alabama to win.
So I think it's right there in that 6.8 to 9 kind of point range.