Whatever respect Vanderbilt earned as a result of a 9-7 record in SEC play during the 2012 and 2013 seasons appears to be all but gone in 2015.

Following an 0-8 conference performance in 2014, the SEC Network gave the Commodores a little special treatment in its breakdown of the 2015 schedule.

And not the good kind.

In recent days, the SEC Network has been breaking down 2015 SEC football schedules game-by-game for each program, predicting a winner for each game and ultimately a 2015 win/loss record for the team they are featuring by the end of the segment.

For an example of how this has played out, see our story on the SEC Network’s predictions for Florida.

Vanderbilt’s breakdown, which was conducted by Marcus Spears and Dari Nowkhah, had a much different feel to it.

When it came to deciding on games that the Commodores are likely to win in 2015, the list began and ended with:

  • Sept. 19 vs. Austin Peay

As for the rest of the out-of-conference games, the commentary went as follows:

Nowkhah: “The non-conference is not easy, because (Western Kentucky) is a good football team. You think, Austin Peay, that’s a Vandy win. Middle (Tennessee) has 16 starters back and that’s a road game, and then you go play at Houston.”

Spears dropped a line about Houston being able to score 100 points, prompting Nowkhah to remind him that former Cougars QB Case Keenum was no longer there.

No definitive predictions were given.

As they moved into the SEC portion of the commentary, rather than breaking down each game, they put up a “Best Chances for Victory” screen and had Spears break down the five games he felt the Commodores were most likely to win if they were going to break their winless streak this season.

5. Nov. 28 — Vanderbilt at Tennessee

Spears: “I think Tennessee is going to be a team vying to win the SEC Championship in the East, so, that’s just a tough matchup for (Vanderbilt). But it’s a rivalry game. Guys know each other on both sides of the line of scrimmage, so it could possibly be a dogfight.”

4. OCT. 24 — MISSOURI AT VANDERBILT

Spears: “Missouri lost a lot. They lost their defensive line, they had a tragic accident with a guy up front. We really don’t know what this team is going to be. And if this defense that Derek Mason is taking over can be better, we know Maty Mauk is sometimes prone to throw the ball to the defense. Turnovers are a big deal in games, so I think that would give them a better chance to beat Missouri than anyone else on the board.”

3. OCT. 17 — VANDERBILT at SOUTH CAROLINA

Spears: “I know this defense will be a lot better, but South Carolina, right now, is in a position where they need to kind of find out what their identity is as a football team and I think that plays well for Vanderbilt.”

Nowkhah: “Yes, and it is the first half of the season, too.”

2. NOV. 7 — VANDERBILT AT FLORIDA

Spears: “We know McElwain and we know what Florida did last year — they struggled a little bit. What will this offense look like? Now, this defense is going to be very good, but Ralph Webb is there and maybe Johnny McCrary can extend some plays. I’m giving them a chance with a young team at Florida.”

1. NOV. 14 — KENTUCKY AT VANDERBILT

Spears: “My most likely to get a victory is going to be UK. I know Kentucky is going to grill me for that, but I really believe both of these teams are kinda trying to do the same thing. Stoops is making huge strides, and it may not be a game. But I think Vanderbilt and Kentucky are in two similar spots in trying to build on what they did last year.”

The games against Georgia, Texas A&M and Ole Miss? Spears classified them as “unwinnable.”

In the aftermath of this quasi-prediction, there were more thoughts given:

Nowkhah: “If they don’t get one (conference win), it would be the second straight year. But don’t you just want the feeling that they are better than they were?”

Spears:“Exactly.”