Tennessee at Vanderbilt Odds, Free Pick & TV Info

Posted by Michael Hunt on Thursday,November 24, 2016 8:41, EDT in

It could be a huge trap game for No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday as the Vols travel to Nashville to take on in-state rival Vanderbilt. Why a trap game? Because UT thought it might have a chance to clinch the SEC East with a win in this game, but that all went out the window with Florida’s upset win at LSU last week. The Vols are slightly more than TD favorites on college football odds.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt Odds, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, Nov. 26, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville
TV: SEC Network
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Tennessee / Vanderbilt
Opening NCAA Football Lines: UT -7.5 (54)

Why Bet on Tennessee?

As long as the Vols (8-3) are focused, they are the better team. Tennessee comes off a 63-37 blowout of Missouri. In his final home game, senior quarterback Joshua Dobbs accounted for five touchdowns. Dobbs passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns on Senior Day. He rushed for two more scores — including a career-long 70-yard breakaway touchdown gallop down the Missouri sideline — to finish with a career-best 413 total yards. Dobbs now has 2.979 total yards this year and joins Peyton Manning as the only two players in school history with at least 2,950 yards of total offense in two different seasons.

To open the second quarter, Dobbs threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Josh Malone. By the end of the day, Dobbs moved into sole possession of seventh place all-time for most single-season touchdown passes with 24. Malone owns nine receiving touchdowns in 2016.

Tennessee forced four turnovers and did not commit any themselves. Two Tennessee interceptions resulted in 14 points for the Vols, including an 59-yard interception return by Jonathan Kongbo. Tennessee broke away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers 28-10. It marked the most points the Vols had scored in a quarter this season and the first time the Vols had passed the 60-point marker in a game since a 63-7 win over Western Kentucky in 2009. The Vols amassed 609 total yards, 223 passing and 386 in the air, averaging 9.1 yards per play. The Vols scored 40-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time since 1995.

Saturday’s contest is the 110th meeting between these programs in a series that dates to 1892. Tennessee is seeking its third straight win in the series and its 15th win over the Commodores in its last 16 trips to the capital city.

Why Bet on Vanderbilt?

Last week, Ralph Webb ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns, and Vanderbilt scored 31 straight points in beating Mississippi 38-17 to snap a three-game skid to the Rebels. Kyle Shurmur threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns, and the Commodores also had three sacks. Shurmur owns three straight games with 200-plus yards passing for the first time this season and first time in his career.

Webb has rushed for over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season after his performance against Ole Miss. He joins Zac Stacy as the only Commodores to have consecutive 1,000 seasons in school history. Webb needs 27 yards to break Stacy’s career rushing school record and 136 yards to break Stacy’s single-season record. Webb is fourth in the league with 1,239 all-purpose yards, fourth in rushing yards with 1,058 and has recorded five 100-yard rushing games, passing his total from last season.

Linebacker Zach Cunningham, the SEC’s leading tackler, recovered a fumble. The 38 points scored is the most points scored in an SEC game under Derek Mason. It is the most points in an SEC game for the Commodores since Nov. 17, 2012, when they defeated Tennessee 41-17.

With the win, Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5 SEC) assured Mason his best record yet in his third season. The Commodores now need a win in their regular season finale to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. Their APR is so good that five wins could be enough for a bowl.

Cunningham has been named as a finalist for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker. Cunningham leads all SEC defensive players with a career-high 109 tackles. It is the highest tackle total since former Vanderbilt linebacker and Cunningham’s current position coach Chris Marve produced 121 stops in 2009. Cunningham’s tackle total also ranks fifth in the NCAA.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt Free Pick: Tennessee

Commodores are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.

Take the Vols on NCAA odds and the under.