Three Keys And A Prediction: Vanderbilt Football Vs. Austin Peay

NASHVILLE---Vanderbilt football opens its season Saturday with Austin Peay, a local opponent that clearly believes that its FCS label doesn't define it heading into Saturday's opener.

Vanderbilt knows what Austin Peay can do after the Governors 35-17 season-opening win over Gardner Webb a week ago, and appears to be taking them seriously. But, that doesn't guarantee a win.

Here's what Vanderbilt will have to do in order to get that as well as a final score prediction.

DON’T turn it over and let Austin Peay stick around

Vanderbilt football — Vanderbilt quarterback Blaze Berlowitz (1) drops back to pass during preseason practice at the school’s indoor facility Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here’s how Vanderbilt wanted to win games at times in 2023. It wanted to hit some crazy explosive plays, win the special teams battle and find itself some easy points off of turnovers. Guess who wants to do that Saturday?

Austin Peay.

Vanderbilt has some turnover-prone-ness to its offense with two inexperienced quarterbacks under center, but Austin Peay shouldn’t have the bodies and overall talent to get Vanderbilt to turn it over. If Vanderbilt does turn it over, Austin Peay will be in the game longer than it’s hoping. Like, significantly longer.

If the turnover battle is even, Vanderbilt should win significantly.

Gotta bring it

Lea was peeved at Vanderbilt’s Tuesday practice. Here’s why.

“I don’t want to be overly dramatic because I want to be honest. There were elements of practice that I liked and where I thought – go back to last Wednesday – things that I thought were kind of off,” Lea said. “I thought the quarterback play seemed like it was decisive. I thought defensively on the whole it felt like a spirited day. There were just a couple of groups that felt like we lacked the intensity we’re going to need and I see that as being conditional.”

No more of that, Vanderbilt. Not against an Austin Peay team that’s walking into FirstBank Stadium on Saturday believing that it can compete with Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt’s captains said all the right things in regard to how much intensity it needs to approach Saturday with, now the rest of its roster has to echo that.

Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks have to outplay Chris Parson

Parson is a former local standout that will be playing as if he has something to prove Saturday, and he’s fully capable of doing so. Vanderbilt says it knows what Parson can do–particularly after his standout performance in Austin Peay’s opener.

“He's a gamer,” Lea said. “This is a really skilled player. I love the way he handles himself in the pocket. I love the confidence with which he'll step up and deliver a ball. Obviously, he's strong and athletic. I think that there's a lot of linear, taller quarterbacks. He's not quite in the taller category, but he's got strength to him.”

Parson is a former SEC quarterback himself and is entirely capable of outplaying whichever inexperienced quarterback Vanderbilt has in the game at a given time. Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks are more talented and have more sound infrastructure surrounding them, but Parson could outplay them. Vanderbilt can’t let that happen if it wants to win big on Saturday.

Prediction: 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.

Lea’s team 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 significantly.

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