Florida Gators vs. Vanderbilt Commodores: Picks, Predictions and Takes
The Florida Gators (3-2) are, much like last week, expected to handle their business and defeat the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-3) this Saturday in The Swamp.
The issue is, UF did not handle its business whatsoever against Kentucky a week ago, losing a game that the team was supposed to win in the eyes of outsiders. Kentucky, to give the Wildcats credit, is a far superior team to Vanderbilt though, meaning that this game should provide the Gators an opportunity to figure their issues out and rebuild some momentum.
The Sports Illustrated Sportsbook favors Florida over Vanderbilt by 38.5 points, and has set the over/under for the game at 59.5 points. You can find the AllGators' staff picks and predictions below.
Zach Goodall (4-1): Florida 41, Vanderbilt 9
Florida is in desperate need of a bounce-back showing this week after being upset at Kentucky last week. The road loss effectively ended the Gators' season when it comes to SEC Championship and College Football Playoff aspirations, barring: Florida winning out - most importantly defeating Georgia, Georgia losing an additional SEC East game, and Kentucky losing two East games as well.
Losing a game that they should have won should serve as a significant wake-up call for the Gators, and we'll see if that theory proves true against Vanderbilt. This is a Commodores team that lost to mid-major East Tennessee State and was blown out 62-0 by Georgia. Vandy owns the nation's No. 127 scoring offense and the No. 117 scoring defense, offering UF's strong rushing attack and improving defense easy matchups to take advantage of.
This game should not be close, at all.
Demetrius Harvey (4-1): Florida 38, Vanderbilt 10
The No. 20 Florida Gators will head into their homecoming matchup against the unranked Vanderbilt Commodores with plenty to play for. If anything, the team would probably like to show that they are a powerhouse squad, beating down on one of the least threatening teams in the SEC.
The team had a bad showing last week against No. 16 Kentucky, and had no business losing the contest, with 15 penalties accepted on the day against them. The team looked unprepared, and they can't afford that to happen for a second straight week. I think they'll look fine this week, and will do well in running the football. What will need to be seen, however, is whether or not Emory Jones can have a bounce-back performance. Time will tell.
Brandon Carroll (4-1): Florida 56, Vanderbilt 10
The Florida Gators are looking to overcome the adversity they faced by losing to Kentucky last weekend on homecoming on Saturday. Plagued by self-inflicted wounds and conservativeness, I expect to see an emphasis on discipline and aggression through the SEC East contest from UF.
The defense continues playing at a high level and the offense — led by Emory Jones — finds a way to push the ball downfield for the first time this season against Vandy. Florida bounces back in a big way against a less-than-formidable Commodores squad, dominating the contest from start to finish.
Ethan Budowsky (4-1): Florida 49, Vanderbilt 7
Whew, last week sure was ugly. The Gators need a bounce back in a big way to try and bring some energy back into the stretch run. They have a big game against LSU next weekend and they can not be caught overlooking Vandy.
Luckily for them, Vandy is really terrible and it's homecoming in Gainesville. The Gators took Vandy to the woodshed last time they came to town, and I see no difference this time. They need to put up a big number this week to instill some confidence back in the fanbase.
I think we see a lot more Anthony Richardson against Vandy than we did in Lexington. It feels like the Gators just need to get him into the game plan more. Gator put up a big number and get a much-needed, feel-good win over Vandy.
Stay tuned to AllGators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @SI_AllGators on Twitter and Florida Gators on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.
