Breaking Down The Commodores SEC Schedule

Previously this summer, we took a look at the Vanderbilt Commodores 2020 football schedule and gave our best predictions on how things might play out this season.

Boy did that turn out to be a waste of time since the Southeastern Conference decided to scrap that plan and move to the 10-game conference-only schedule for this season.

Regardless of all that, the season is getting closer, and the new schedule is now in place, so it's time to dive into it and see what we have. One thing's for sure; there is no Mercer's on this one for the Commodores.

WEEK ONE- 9/26

Texas A&M- The Commodores open the season on the road against a top-25 caliber team that is looking to take the next step up in the pecking order of the SEC West and challenge Bama for the top spot. Vanderbilt will be sending a first time starting quarterback onto the field, regardless of which player wins the job, and the Aggies defense will be rested and ready to go. OUTCOME- LOSS

WEEK TWO- 10/3

LSU- The defending conference and national champs roll into Nashville for the second consecutive season. While limits on fan attendance will keep the purple power down, those who do make the trip will be looking to drink the city dry once again. The Tigers must replace lots of talent, including a Heisman winning quarterback, but there's too much physical talent on hand for the boys from Baton Rouge to fall on the road to the Commodores. OUTCOME- LOSS

WEEK THREE- 10/10

South Carolina- Will Muschamp and his Gamecocks come calling as the Commodores get a second consecutive home game, but how healthy can the Commodores be after facing LSU? If the Commodores aren't too battered and bruised from their week two match up, then there's a chance for them to find their first win of the season in this one. The Gamecocks lost some key talent on both sides of the ball and aren't as profoundly talented overall, like other teams in the league. OUTCOME- TOSS UP

WEEK FOUR 10/17

Missouri- Back on the road again, the Commodores travel to Columbia to face the only team they defeated last season in conference play. The Tigers will remember this and be looking for revenge, but with a new head coach, first-year quarterback, and still working through a roster that isn't great, this one is winnable for Vanderbilt. The Tigers have some outstanding defensive players, but the Commodore's defense should be good enough in this defensive struggle. OUTCOME-WIN

Week Five 10/24- Bye Week

WEEK SIX 10/31

Ole Miss- Lock up your daughters, the Lane Train is rolling in with Rebels first-year head coach Lane Kiffin bringing his bunch to West End. While Kiffin prefers the aerial fireworks of a deep passing game, his returning quarterback is more of a runner, meaning that the quarterback battle in Oxford will be one to watch. The Rebels ran over, around, and through the Commodore defense last year, so what will Kiffin do this time when his personnel might not fit precisely into his longterm plans? OUTCOME- LOSS

WEEK SEVEN- 11-7

Mississippi State- The Commodores will face a first-year head coach at his new school for the third game in a row, but Mike Leach is no new coach. The Air Raid offense used by Leach in previous stops might not be quite ready to take flight in year one in Starkville. However, the physical talents that are there should still allow for the Bulldogs to be a reliable rushing team, and the Commodores will have to match that physical style if they are to have a shot at a road win. OUTCOME- LOSS

WEEK EIGHT- 11/14

Kentucky- The Cats will have one of the better offensive lines in the conference in 2020, and have a lot of other pieces in place to be a surprise team this season. They also get their starting quarterback back after being injured last season. The Big Blue destroyed Vanderbilt's previous season in Nashville with a wide receiver under center so that this time might be even worse. OUTCOME-LOSS

WEEK NINE 11/21

Florida- The Gators come to Nashville and make short work of the Commodores in this one. OUTCOME-LOSS

WEEK TEN 11/28

Tennessee- The Vols roll down I-40 for this one, and depending on how things have gone for the Big Orange, the Commodores might have a slim chance at pulling off an upset. However, the Vols under Jeremy Pruitt is improving, and the talent level has risen of late. They should be able to handle the Commodores in this one, if they haven't been beaten down with injuries and losses by a tougher than usual schedule, which all SEC teams are facing this time around. OUTCOME-LOSS

WEEK ELEVEN 12/5

Georgia- A trip to Athens finishes the Commodore season in a twist of irony where the Commodores end their season against the team they opened 2019 against in Nashville. Too much Dogs here. OUTCOME-LOSS

This schedule is brutal, and the Commodores have issues that might not be fixable on the fly this time through and is somehow Derek Mason. His boys manage to pull together some wins against the likes of Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Missouri; the last three games are a murders row.

Follow Greg on Twitter @GregAriasSports and @SIVanderbilt or Facebook at Vanderbilt Commodores-Maven.