Staff Predictions: Vanderbilt Football Vs. Austin Peay

NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football opens its season as nearly 30-point favorites against local FCS opponent Austin Peay, but will it live up to expectations or produce a dissappointing week one performance?

Vandy on SI has been on sight for every Vanderbilt fall camp practice and preseason press conference to gather information about Clark Lea's sixth Vanderbilt team heading into the opener. All of those August days have led up to this point.

Here's our predictions in regard to Saturday's opener.

Graham Baakko: Vanderbilt 42, Austin Peay 10

Vanderbilt football — Nov 29, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores head coach Clark Lea celebrates with his team after a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I think the FBS, the SEC team, is going to eventually overpower the FCS team here. It might take a drive or two for Vanderbilt to get going, but once it gets going I don't think it's gonna stop. They're gonna pour on points. I do think you kind of have to respect Austin Peay for being around the top 10 or so of the FCS. They're not they're not they're not in the basement of the FCS, in that sense, but Vanderbilt is going to put up points. It may not be in the 70s like it was a couple times last year, but I do think they will get into the 40s.

I do think both quarterbacks will lead the offense to touchdown drives. Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson go off for a couple explosive plays here or there, but, ultimately, Vanderbilt’s defense is just going to be too experienced and too big for an FCS team to overcome.

Michael Andersen: Vanderbilt 45, Austin Peay 7

While Austin Peay is not a measly opponent for the first matchup of Vanderbilt’s season, there are clear levels between SEC and FCS football. If Vanderbilt comes into the game properly prepared, which many of their players and staff have emphasized over the course of the week, then this should be a smooth victory for the Commodores.

Austin Peay is typically able to spread the ball out on offense and rely on their dual-threat quarterback, but the speed of Vanderbilt’s revamped secondary should shut down most of their passing attack, leaving the result of the game in the hands of both Blaze Berlowitz and Jared Curtis as they fight for the starting role.

Dylan Tovitz: Vanderbilt 38, Austin Peay 13

The Commodores open their 2026 slate with what may seem like a free victory, but I think Austin Peay has a real chance to at least make things semi-interesting. The Governors have a legitimate playmaker in dual-threat signal caller Chris Parson, and Clark Lea has expressed some frustration with Vanderbilt’s practice habits this week.

That said, let’s not overcomplicate things here. The Commodores return to FirstBank Stadium after going undefeated at home last season, and I anticipate Vanderbilt’s depth and physicality to take over by the second quarter. Expect to see true freshman Jared Curtis under center at some point, with Tim Beck’s offense facing little resistance as the ‘Dores cruise to a 1-0 start in front of the home crowd.

Joey Dwyer: Vanderbilt 28, Austin Peay 13

Vanderbilt is a heavy favorite and appears to have the proper amount of respect for the team Austin Peay is—despite what a lackluster Tuesday practice would indicate—but there’s some reason to think this may be closer than the 30.5-point line would indicate. Vanderbilt still has major uncertainty at quarterback and its new-look offensive line appears to be prone to struggling up front early against Austin Peay’s stunts.

In the end, though, Vanderbilt should settle in and assert its dominance physically to win by a significant margin.

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