PRESS PICKS (Week 7): Despite the win, Vandy is still Vandy
STAFF REPORT
We can all agree that smack talk can be fun and somewhat entertaining. No, there will be no examples of what are the greatest moments in this category but there is no doubt each of us can throw out a few zingers.
But what Vanderbilt did after upsetting Alabama last week was funny and, in a sense, self-depreciating.
Whomever is in charge of their video board (not sure what Vandy has in the visual arts department) chose to recite Nick Saban’s comment on playing in Nashville. His statement - “The only place not hard to play is Vanderbilt” - is correct.
And for anybody, especially Vandy players and fans, to call Saban on that is loony.
Time to be frank and painfully obvious - Vanderbilt has the worst program in the Southeastern Conference …. probably in the bottom 5 teams of the Power 4 conferences. It has little or no history unless you go back to the 1930s when they had a run of championships in the Southern Conference .
As Saban was explaining, whichever SEC team visits the Dores, they bring more fans than what the home team has. That was the case Saturday when, of the 29,000 in the stadium, about 20K were wearing crimson.
Need stats as a reminder? Before Saturday’s win, the Dores had never beaten a top-ranked team in 11 tries. The last two - Georgia - in both ‘22 and ‘23, beat them by a combined 92-20.
Before Saturday, Vandy had lost 11 straight conference games dating back to Nov. 12, 2022. They had also lost 19 straight games at home in the SEC, dating back to a win over Missouri in 2019. Vandy had also lost 26 straight games against ranked opponents going back to 2017. Before Saturday, the best Vandy win, rankings-wise, was against South Carolina in 2007 when the Gamecocks were sixth in the country.
How about some more factoids.
Care to guess when the Dores last played in a bowl game? How about 2018 or six years ago. The last bowl win? It came in what is now the Birmingham Bowl back in January, 2014.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating and in this day and age, we love to stick it to the opposition. Social media is all about the “one up.”
But let’s be honest, no on in that stadium Saturday expected a Vandy win. Nobody.
No, this is not a “knock Vandy” piece, but a response to those who decided to take a pot shot at the greatest coach in college football history… when what he said was right on.
Enjoy your victory, but be smart about it.
2024 Standings (Last Week)
1. Michael Butler 74-31 (9-7) .730
2. Wesley Lyle 72-33 (9-7) .708
Doug Amos 72-33 (9-7) .708
4. Rosie Langello 71-34 (9-7) .697
Tim Gayle 71-34 (10-6) .685
6. Graham Dunn 68-37 (9-7) .663
7. Mike Peacock 64-41 (8-8) .629
8. Rick Hendrick 59-46 (6-10) .596
Barry McKnight 59-46 (7-9) .584
10. Lindsey Bonner 53- 37 (7-9) .588
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
74-31 (9-7) .730
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Tallassee
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - LSU
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Oregon
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Washington
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
72-33 (9-7) .708
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - LSU
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon -Oregon
Penn St at Southern Cal - Southern Cal
Washington at Iowa - Iowa
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
72-33 (9-7) .708
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - Wicksburg
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - LSU
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Iowa
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
71-34 (9-7) .697
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - Ole Miss
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Washington
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
71-34 (10-6) .685
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - LSU
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Iowa
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
68-37 (9-7) .663
P. Julian at Wetumpka - P. Julian
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - Alabama Christian
Tallassee at Handley - Tallassee
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - LSU
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Iowa
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Arizona St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
64-41 (8-8) .629
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - Wicksburg
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - Ole Miss
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Iowa
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
59-46 (7-9) .584
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Handley
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - Ole Miss
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Oregon
Penn St at Southern Cal - Southern Cal
Washington at Iowa - Washington
Arizona at BYU - BYU
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
59-46 (6-10) .596
P. Julian at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Central PC
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - ACA
Tallassee at Handley - Tallassee
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - Ole Miss
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Washington
Arizona at BYU - Arizona
Utah at Arizona St - Utah
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
53- 37 (7-9) .588
P. Julian at Wetumpka - P. Julian
G.W. Carver at Central-Phenix City - Carver
Pike Road at Stanhope Elmore - Pike Road
Wicksburg at Alabama Christian - Wicksburg
Tallassee at Handley - Tallassee
South Carolina at Alabama - Alabama
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
Ole Miss at LSU - Ole Miss
Florida at Tennessee - Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Ohio St at Oregon - Ohio St
Penn St at Southern Cal - Penn St
Washington at Iowa - Washington
Arizona at BYU - Arizona
Utah at Arizona St - Utah