Tennessee will try to put an end to a three-game losing streak in SEC play when it hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon. The Volunteers can be forgiven for that streak considering it’s come against Alabama, Missouri and Auburn. Two of those losses came on the road. That was a tall order for a team in rebuilding mode, but the final couple of weeks give the Volunteers a chance to end 2013 on a positive note.
How to watch Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee: Preview, TV time, odds and more
Here’s all the information you’ll need to catch the game between the Commodores and Volunteers.
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Vanderbilt is having another solid season, but the Commodores have flaws that the Volunteers can exploit. The oddsmakers expect Tennessee to prevail in this one.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Tennessee is 4-6 overall and 1-5 in SEC play, putting the Vols in sixth in the SEC East. Vanderbilt is fourth in the East with a 3-4 league record; the Commodores are 6-4 overall. Tennessee leads the all-time series, 73-25-4.
Vegas: Tennessee is a three-point favorite, while the over/under is 53.5.
Weather: The high in Knoxville is expected in the low 50s and there’s a 60 percent chance of rain.
Three names to know
Joshua Dobbs -- Dobbs took over Tennessee's starting quarterback job when Justin Worley was sidelined by a thumb injury. Dobbs' numbers aren't very good, but in fairness the freshman was forced into action against a tough run of opponents.
Jordan Matthews -- Matthews leads Vanderbilt with 1,076 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He's about as steady as they come in college football and has more than 3,000 career receiving yards.
Rajion Neal -- Neal ranks sixth in the SEC with 895 rushing yards and he's added 10 scores on the ground. A big day for Neal would be significant for the Vols because it would mean they're probably winning, and it would alleviate some of the pressure on Dobbs.
Two things at stake
Butch Jones still has a chance to get Tennessee bowl-eligible in his first season as head coach, which would be a boost both to the perception of the program as well as the job he did this year. If the Vols can get past Vandy, they would need only to win at Kentucky to secure six wins.
Vanderbilt is going bowling for the third straight year under James Franklin, though the Commodores haven't been in the SEC East conversation all year. Like Tennessee, Vanderbilt has a great opportunity to finish the year with a pair of wins, and in this case it would mean a second consecutive eight-win regular season.
How to witness
TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET
Further reading
For complete coverage of this game, head over to Volunteers blog Rocky Top Talk, Vanderbilt blog Anchor Of Gold and SEC blog Team Speed Kills.
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