The Commodores have been one of the more likeable teams in college football recently. Despite swimming in the shark infested waters of the SEC, Vandy has been able to bring in some decent talent and be competitive, sometimes extending the conference big boys to the limit. Still, even with arguably the best teams in recent school history, Paul Johnson’s crew has been unable to crack .500 and get to a Bowl.

 

2008 will be a major step backward in Nashville. Vandy returns just eleven starters (three on offense) and will field a team consisting of just nine seniors. Their conference schedule is brutal. Their winnable games (Mississippi, Miss St, and Kentucky) are all on the road. The Commodores home schedule consists of South Carolina, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee.

 

The non-conference schedule is fair but could EASILY equate to an ofer-four.  Vanderbilt opens on the road at Miami Ohio who they barely beat last year 24-13 (-13) in Nashville. This year’s Red Hawk outfit returns 17 starters and highly regarded with many pundits calling for Miami to battle Bowling Gre en for the MAC East title. The Vandy season finale is at a loaded Wake Forest and requires no further analysis. At this point Vandy is 0-10 and we’ve already cashed.

 

The Commodores entertain Rice and Duke in their non-conf homies. The Owls return 16 starters, nine on offense, and lost just 18 lettermen from last year. With some breaks in their CUSA schedule, they could go to a Bowl. Duke visits for Homecoming and the Blue Devils do have some skill people and will not be a lay down in their first year under David Cutcliffe.

 

This is a rebuilding year for Vanderbilt with Johnson trying to get most of his 32 juniors experience in hopes of making a run at a winning season in 2009. After seven years, it’s questionable as to whether he’ll still be there to get the chance. The Commodores have won 12 SEC games in 12 years and we’ll call for Vandy to get blanked (0-8) in SEC play this year, go 0-2 on the non-conference road, and split t heir non-conference home games.

 

That works out to a 1-11 season for Vanderbilt and easy cash at a very palatable price.