5 bold predictions for Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt is seeking its first bowl game appearance under head coach Derek Mason.
Tennessee, which head coach Butch Jones proclaimed “champions of life” after falling short of the SEC East Division title, could have a shot at the Sugar Bowl.
The in-state SEC rivals meet Saturday in Nashville, and here are five bold predictions about what will happen.
1. Joshua Dobbs will be more effective through the air: Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs has always excelled as a mobile option; he recently set the Vols’ career record for rushing TDs by a quarterback.
His passing, however, has been hit or miss. He leads the SEC with 24 touchdown passes but also 12 interceptions.
But with Vanderbilt having the No. 11 passing defense in the SEC, expect Dobbs to excel through the air. Let’s not discredit Jauan Jennings and Josh Malone from being two of the SEC’s best receivers in 2016, even with the team’s emphasis on its rushing attack.
2. Ralph Webb will break at least one Vandy rushing record: Ralph Webb , who has 3,117 career yards, enters Saturday’s game just 27 yards shy of breaking Zac Stacy’s all-time rushing record at Vanderbilt.
There’s nothing bold about predicting he’ll break that mark, but Webb also has a chance to break Stacy’s single-season rushing record.
Stacy ran for 1,193 yards in 2011.
Webb has 1,058. He’ll need 136 Saturday to break it.
Webb is a junior, but it’s almost a sure bet that he’ll skip his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft, so expect him to end his career in Nashville with a big performance Saturday.
3. Derek Barnett will break Reggie White’s sack record: Vols defensive end Derek Barnett is one sack short of Reggie White’s career sack record of 32. So what better place for the Nashville native to break the record than his hometown?
It’s not a stretch to assume Barnett can record multiple sacks Saturday. He’s excelled in SEC games, especially late in the season and Vanderbilt’s offensive line ranks 13th among SEC teams in sacks allowed (26.0).

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Barnett is expected to be a high pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, so it’s very unlikely he’ll return for his senior season. Even with the extra bowl game, the junior should be able to etch his name in Tennessee’s record book in Week 13.
The SEC record, in case you were wondering, is out of reach. Alabama’s Derrick Thomas had 52 from 1985-88.
4. Vanderbilt will keep it close: For several weeks, fans and experts assumed Tennessee would have an easy road to the SEC Championship Game. Then the South Carolina upset happened, as well as leading rusher Jalen Hurd’s decision to transfer.
Even after those events, the Vols were still expected to end their season with four easy wins. But Vanderbilt proved it wasn’t a pushover in its upset of Ole Miss last week. This is an underrated team with a capable defense.
Tennessee should still win, but don’t expect this game to be a blowout. Two years ago, Dobbs and Co. escaped Nashville with a seven-point victory.
5. Tennessee will have two 100-yard rushers (again): Last week, Dobbs ran for a career-high 190 and John Kelly added 101 yards. A week early, against Kentucky, Dobbs went for 147, Alvin Kamara added 128 and Kelly just missed with 94.
Vanderbilt is one of the SEC’s better run defenses, but it has allowed three opponents to top 250 yards.
Tennessee is running it as well as it has all season, going for 386 and 376 the past two weeks.
The Vols will look to pound home the point, again, that they don’t miss Jalen Hurd.
Vanderbilt will have 600 yards of offense , Tennessee fans will outnumber Vanderbilt fans 2:1 and Butch will say something stupid.
But that’s not bold at all
Valid point😂.
“Webb is a junior, but it’s almost a sure bet that he’ll skip his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft, so expect him to end his career in Nashville with a big performance Saturday.”
According to who? There’s literally zero evidence to support that, and I haven’t seen any other stories that come anywhere close to agreeing with what you just said.
What do you expect from SDS
Nothing would be better than a Vanderbilt win
I guess Vandy winning isnt a bold prediction. Am i being unreasonable saying i think Vamdy wins by 10?
It’s more likely than UF winning by 10.
Not disagreeing with you.
I think Vandy has a better shot at it than Vamdy.
Not only will Webb have a big day but I think Zack Cunningham will have a huge day as well. The guy was a beast against the Dawgs with 19 tackles, he was all over the field.
The dude is a monster. I would have him right behind Barnett for defensive MVP.
Vols win high scoring game. Gators lose low scoring game to noles !
That’s just more pitiful hype from a Tn. homer. I see Jones pulled a Les and made it to the hospital to see the kids hurt in the wreck. That kind of stuff got Les another 5 or 6 games before they fired him. How many years are y’all gonna waste buying that hype?
Dude I know! Such a politician “kiss the baby” move.
Most Tennessee fans are sheep. !As opposed to Bama fans who like to ….. the sheep.
Not everything is a political move. Perhaps Butch is an actual human being who feels really bad for the families, and wants to do what he can to make things a little better. That is the way decent people react to tragedy.
It did my heart good to see the news that Butch Jones went to visit those children. It was the right thing to do.
If Vanderbilt can keep it close the first half they may have a shot at winning, but if UT is still doing their miracle finishes Vandy has no shot since they don’t finish games…then again there really isn’t too much for UT to play for since it’s already likely they’ll play FSU in the outback bowl regardless. I just hope it doesn’t end up being one of those sloppy I don’t care who wins kind of games.
you realize with that UT is in a better position to go to the Sugar Bowl than any other SEC team, since Bama is all but a lock for the CFB playoff, and FL will lose at least 1 more game if not both of them. That in turn will keep the Vols the highest ranked team from the East and West not going to the playoff
Yeah the East is lookin kinda weak. If it wasn’t for the Tide, the B1G would be pointing and laughing,,,,,,wait, I think they already are. Fla St thumps Fla, Vandy thumps Tenn ?
I feel like Vandy gonna thump Tenn….