Vanderbilt Commodores

Every SEC Team Has an ‘Uh Oh’ Game and Vanderbilt Just Had Theirs

The Commodores suffered their first midweek game loss of the season, but weren't the only SEC team to fall Tuesday night.
Taylor Hodges|
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin argues with a umpire after a balk was called on pitcher Luke Guth in the sixth inning of an NCAA college baseball game at Hawkins Field Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin argues with a umpire after a balk was called on pitcher Luke Guth in the sixth inning of an NCAA college baseball game at Hawkins Field Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Baseball is a long season and perfection is nearly impossible. Teams are going to lose. Players are going to have bad days. It happens.

But what makes a fan say “uh oh” are games their teams should (based on records and overall talent) win and don’t. It’s usually a midweek game where you may not tune in until later in the game and, for example, see Vanderbilt losing to Middle Tennessee State 3-1 and say, “uh oh, that’s not good.”

The Commodores had their “uh oh” game Tuesday night at Hawkins Field and ended up losing 5-3 to the Blue Raiders, who still sit below .500 on the season (19-22). Considering the weekend the Commodores just had and a huge leap in the top 25 rankings and SEC standings, their loss to Middle Tennessee is shocking.

Was the Georgia series a fluke? Are the Commodores more pretender than contender? Should Vanderbilt fans panic and worry?

Maybe. No. No.

The loss certainly puts a damper on the Commodores’ hype train that was gaining steam, but it shouldn’t shut it down entirely. Every highly-ranked baseball team has an “uh oh” game in their season.

In fact, Vanderbilt wasn’t even the only SEC team have an “uh oh” game Tuesday night.

No. 7 LSU lost to Northwestern State 13-3 in seven innings, No. 10 Georgia lost to No. 2 Clemson 3-0 (not as surprising, but it was the Bulldogs’ fourth-straight loss and warrants an “uh oh”) and No. 14 Oklahoma lost to Oral Roberts 5-3.

Other teams nearly lost Tuesday and barely escaped with wins. No. 1 Texas had to score four runs in the ninth inning to comeback and beat Texas State (and avoid a second loss to the Bobcats) and No. 18 Alabama had to score four runs in the final two innings to get by Samford.

And don’t forget, No. 2 Arkansas lost an extra-innings game to Missouri State (who beat Missouri 11-0 Tuesday night) earlier this season, No. 23 Ole Miss lost to Little Rock two weeks ago, the Longhorns lost a 12-inning game to UTSA, No. 6 Tennessee lost a one run game to Eastern Tennessee State, No. 11 Auburn has lost twice to UAB and then-No. 24 Kentucky lost to Murray State in March.

Really, the only teams not to have an “uh oh” game are Mississippi State, South Carolina and Missouri. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks haven’t had any surprising midweek losses and Missouri’s winless SEC record speaks for itself. Beyond that, Texas A&M and Florida have had “uh oh” seasons.

So, while the Commodores’ loss to MTSU is shocking, it doesn’t warrant panic or a reevaluation of Vanderbilt’s leap into the top 10. Now, if it happens this weekend against Ole Miss, a reevaluation will be required.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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