Cut the Cake and Pour the Booze: At 21, Vanderbilt Comes of Age

It may be fun to root for the underdog, but in the powerhouse SEC, Vanderbilt’s loyal fans have had more than enough of that kind of fun, thank you very much.

Tired of being a good team in an exceedingly tough conference, whose every win is thought of as an “upset,” Vanderbilt now finds itself the unfamiliar position of being the team who could BE upset.

Any uninitiated Tennessee residents are warmly advised to take care not to hurt themselves when they jump off the UT bandwagon and climb aboard with the Commodores as the team celebrates an undefeated record and its first AP ranking since 1984.

With this Saturday’s roller coaster 23-17 win over Ole Miss, the Commodores boosted their record to 4-0 and rose to No. 21 in the AP poll—a lucky number that means Bobby Johnson’s Commodores may have finally come of age in the SEC and are getting the attention, if not the respect, they deserve.

Sometimes it seems as if the mantra for landlocked Tennessee’s only sizable naval force has been, “This is the year.” But after 2007’s optimistic start and fizzle of a finish, Vandy fans were reluctant to mention winning records or bowl bids unless there was something wooden to knock on nearby.

However, after taking out Miami of Ohio and Rice, and knocking off 24th-ranked South Carolina and Ole Miss in conference play, the chances of Vandy posting a winning season and making a bowl appearance for the first time since 1982 are not only possible in a Murphy’s Law sort of way, but downright probable.

No longer satisfied with pulling off the occasional upset, this team has become a legitimate, competitive force in the SEC East and is doing what football teams are supposed to do: win games.  

Critics eager to write off the 4-0 start as a fluke should take a closer look at the black & gold. It’s fitting that Vandy’s mascot should be maritime-related, since the team’s roster boasts more depth than the Mariana Trench.

Early injuries have left many of the team’s versatile players filling more than one role. The most obvious and spectacular of these is 5’10”, 182-lb. cornerback and renaissance player D.J. Moore, who has routinely posted some of the SEC’s best defensive statistics while also serving as the team’s primary kickoff returner and a competent wide receiver.

But while star player-sidelining injuries like the ones that removed Moore (briefly) and starting QB Chris Nickson from Saturday’s game might snap the winning streaks of other, less balanced football clubs (cough*New England*cough) the Commodore’s bench has proven itself capable of rising to the challenge when its first stringers have to sit on the bench.

Standout performances like safety Ryan Hamilton’s impressive goal line-standing, fumble-recovering, multiple pass-intercepting appearance on Saturday mean that Vandy fans’ winning record and bowl bid hopes are well-founded. It’s not unreasonable to feel confident in projecting wins over Mississippi State, Duke, Kentucky, and UT.

However, in SEC football, as in life, all worthwhile undertakings are not easily achieved. The next 10 weeks will bring tough matchups against Auburn, Georgia, Florida, and Wake Forest.

Luckily, the ‘Dores have a two-week break to rest and recuperate some of the players injured Saturday night. The bruiser of a game, in which Ole Miss racked up more yardage in penalties than Vandy did passing, left Moore limping at times and forced QB Nickson to leave the game early with an injured right shoulder. 

For now, however, fans can enjoy that little chill that runs up your spine when you look at the ESPN rankings index and see a big “21” next to “Vanderbilt” on the front page.

No one can tell what the cards will hold, but at No. 21 with a 4-0 record behind them, a winning season and a bowl bid for Vanderbilt seem like a safe bet.