On Oct. 4, Vanderbilt stunned an Auburn team that still had high hopes and dangerous talent. It secured Vandy a spot in the major polls and made this fourth win look like a stepping stone toward their first bowl in years.

Then came a disappointing loss to a down-and-out Mississippi State team, the skid continued with expected losses to Georgia and Florida, and an unexpected loss to Duke.

Now they are facing a physical and rejuvenated Kentucky team next and they could end up facing Tennessee in a must-win game to keep their bowl hopes alive. Tennessee will be fighting to keep from finishing at the bottom of the SEC and from losing again to the state's "little brother."

Given Tennessee's current state of affairs, I am standing by an early season prediction for a bowl game for this year's Vandy squad. With a final game against a decent Wake Forest team, the Vol game may be their best bet for that elusive sixth win.

Bobby Johnson and defensive coordinator Bruce Fowler have done a wonderful job of keeping the Commodores in every game, except perhaps the Florida game. They should be rewarded for doing what many thought was not a high probability event this season.

Johnson is serving notice that this isn't your grandfather's Vandy team anymore and may not be for a while.

I urge the bowl committees to give this team a look. They've earned a bowl. Their grateful fans will attend and spend some cash.

A trip to Shreveport, La., may be an insult to some teams, but to Vandy, it isn't. I hope they make it.