Ole Miss Week 6 Opponent Preview: Vanderbilt Commodores
The Ole Miss Rebels will play their second game of conference action on Saturday, Oct. 8 when the Vanderbilt Commodores will welcome Lane Kiffin and Co. to Nashville for the 95th all-time meeting between the two programs.
The Commodores were one of the bottom-feeders of Division I last season, let alone in a powerhouse conference like the SEC. Vanderbilt finished with a 2-10 record and went 0-8 in SEC play. The two lone wins came in a two-point victory over 1-11 UConn and a three-point victory over 3-9 Colorado State.
The Commodores were shutout twice and ended the season on a seven-game losing streak. But still, coach Clark Lea's team gave Kiffin and the Rebels a tougher fight than most expected in Oxford. The 31-17 win for Ole Miss was one of the closer losses Vanderbilt had all season.
Despite Vandy's lack of recent success, Ole Miss only leads the all-time series 52-40-2, though more than half of Vanderbilt's wins came before the 1950s. The Rebels have won the last three meetings dating back to 2018.
Vanderbilt was last in the SEC in total offensive yards (3,751) total passing yards (2,272), and points scored (189). The team would have ranked last in total rushing yards if not for the pass-happy offense of Mississippi State having the fewest rushing yards per game in the nation (59.5).
The Commodores were eighth-worst in average points per game (16.9) in Division I last season and allowed the 15th-most offensive yards per game (471.5).
The defense wasn't much better. Vanderbilt was last in the SEC in total yards (5,492), passing yards (3,171), and points (430) allowed in 2021.
Vanderbilt Commodores
2021 Record: 2-10 (0-8 in SEC)
Offensive Scheme: Pro Spread
Defensive Set: 4-3
Head Coach: Clark Lea
Lea enters his second season at Vandy, his first collegiate coaching gig after stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Syracuse, UCLA, and South Dakota State. The Vanderbilt alum played fullback for the Commodores from 2002-2004.
Projected offensive starters:
QB Ken Seals
RB Re'Mahn Davis
WR Will Sheppard
WR Kyle Logan
WR (Slot) Devin Boddie Jr.
TE Ben Bresnahan
LT Gunnar Hansen
LG Ben Cox
C Julian Hernandez
RG Delfin Xavier Castillo
RT Bradley Ashmore
Projected defensive starters:
DE Nate Clifton
DT Daevion Davis
DT Malik Langham
STAR LB: Elijah McAllister
WILL LB: Anfernee Orji
MIKE LB: Kane Patterson
LB Michael Owusu
CB Jeremy Lucien
CB Jaylen Mahoney
SS Maxwell Worship
FS Chase Lloyd
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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