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VANDERBILT AT
OLE MISS
9/20/08
3* Vandy
+7 over Ole Miss - Key
Release - What's a team need to do to get a little
respect? Often times, just 3 games into a season, you can say big
deal, a team is 3-0. They haven't played anyone. Well, Vandy opened
up by beating Miami Ohio and while that's no great accomplishment,
let's not forget, they weren't expected to win. They followed up by
beating South Carolina who, unlike their record suggests, is a good
team and will be heard from again this year in the SEC. While the
win over Rice may not seem like much on the surface, it was a Rice
team that was averaging 49 points per game off of wins over Memphis
and SMU and Vandy shut them out completely in the 2nd half.
Now Vandy travels to take on Ole Miss, a team that had the worst
defense in the SEC a year ago, a team that has a new coach with new
schemes to learn and a team that Vandy beat 31-17 last year. Yet
Vanderbilt finds themselves in a familiar role. 6.5 point underdogs.
Not only are they 6.5 point underdogs, the line opened up 4.5 and
early bettors determined that was too low and have pushed the line
two full points. Rodney Dangerfield would be proud. No respect I
tell ya.
Sure, historically, this one has gone to Ole Miss. Ole Miss has
won 12 of the last 15 in this series. But historically, Ole Miss was
better than a 3 or 4 win team. In 2003 they won 10 games. Since then
they haven't won more than 4 games in a season. Speaking of 2003
when they were 10-3, they only beat Vandy 24-21. In 2004 it took
overtime to beat Vandy 26-23. In 2005 they lost at Vandy. In 2006
they won by a TD and last year they lost 31-17.
There is nothing in recent history, or in this years results that
suggests this game this week will be anything but close. Vandy
hasn't had a winning season in 25 years. However, as we pointed out
in our season preview, every single year they are a tough out. They
have taken Florida to overtime, they have beaten Georgia, South
Carolina two years in a row, the list of close games and upsets goes
on and on and that's in years that Vandy won no more than 5 games,
often times 2 games!
They have already won 3, and with that comes confidence. When you
win as a team, and start 3-0, you start to expect to win. Certainly
if they go down here, it figures that they won't go down without a
fight. Not to Ole Miss. Again, remember who we're talking about
here. The worst defense in the SEC a year ago.
One of
the highest Rated Sportsbooks in the World -
Bet Jamaica - Backed by "the Greek"
The game plans of both teams going in are no secret. Run, run,
run. Vanderbilt's young offensive line has been getting it done so
far this year, moving guys off the ball and creating holes. Vandy
has been able to run the ball and control the clock while Ole
Miss has lost the time of possession battle every game so far this
year. Logic tells us Vandy will be successful once again this
week running the ball with QB Chris Nickson and RB Jared Hawkins.
Run the ball, control the clock, shorten the game, keep it close.
That's where we want to be when getting +7. Vanderbilt has been
playing sound ball across the board. They haven't made mistakes,
they haven't beaten themselves. They have depth on the defensive
line allowing their starters to stay fresh the entire game and not
tire out in the 2nd half which has long been a problem for them
against SEC giants. They are the least penalized team in the SEC and
are 6-1 against the spread the last 7 games against Ole Miss and
12-4 against the number as a road dog.
Ole Miss gets star defensive end Greg Hardy back this week
however this week was his first in pads since the spring.
Conditioning will be a factor. Ole Miss will be an improved team
each time they take the field under new coach Houston Nutt. No
argument here. This play simply comes down to common sense. There is
nothing that suggests Ole Miss is deserving of being a 6.5 - 7 point
favorite here. Quite the opposite actually. At the very least this
game breaks down as dead even on a neutral field. So, unless you
feel their 21-29 record at home this decade warrants a 7 point home
field advantage, there's plenty of value in the line taking Vandy.
Put another way, if the Ole Miss home field edge is a field goal,
this line suggests Ole Miss would be a 4 point fav on a neutral
field and a 1 point fav at Vandy.
Show us a football game where the talent level between the two
teams is a touchdown or less and we'll show you a game that was
decided by simple fundamentals. The team that makes the fewest
mistakes, that team that doesn't turn the ball over, the team that
is least penalized, the team that controls the clock and can run the
football, wins the game.
For the first time in 24 years, Vandy is closing in on a top 25
ranking. They received 63 votes this week which places them at #26.
A win here and, well, you guessed it, top 25. We've sounded like a
broken record in the past by stating that when teams not used to
being in the limelight, teams not used to winning, teams not used to
beating certain opponents, that when they get these chances, they
have to capitalize as there's no telling when those opportunities
will arise again. We're not talking Florida and LSU here folks, who
compete for championships every year. We're talking Vandy. They
don't have to knock off a top 10 team to get there either. They have
to beat Ole Miss. 3-9 a year ago. A team they have beaten 2 of the
last 3 times they have played. This is within reach. At the very
least this one goes to the wire.
3* Vanderbilt +7
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