NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores are doing exactly what they talked about last January when starting to prepare for this season.
So the stakes keep rising each week, with none of the Commodores happy just being bowl eligible, not now that they are ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1947. It's why ESPN's “College GameDay” will be in town for the first time since 2008 when another sellout crowd is on hand Saturday.
“This is what we expected, this is what comes with it,” coach Clark Lea said. “So we can get over that and stay focused on again this climb, which is Missouri.”
Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1) versus No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1) is one of the Southeastern Conference's marquee games. They are among six SEC teams with only one loss, trailing No. 4 Alabama and No. 3 Texas A&M at the top of the league.
Games usually come down to the end in this series. The Tigers pulled out a double overtime win last season for their fifth straight victory and ninth in 10 games over Vanderbilt. Missouri is coming off another double overtime win, this time 23-17 over Auburn last week.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz dismissed all the festivities at his Tigers' second straight road game.
“We'll show up. We'll go to the visitors' locker room. We'll walk out on the field and play the game," Drinkwitz said. "Whatever else they got for their fans there is up to them, but it doesn't affect us.”
These are two of the country's highest-scoring teams. Vanderbilt averages 41.4 points a game, good for eighth nationally, with Missouri 12th, piling up 39 points. The Commodores beat then-No. 10 LSU 31-24 last week, scoring the most points LSU had allowed all season.
Lea said Missouri's offense has been interesting to watch, prompting him to text Drinkwitz earlier this season to ask when his Tigers were going to stop scoring points.
“He's a friend, but it's like, ‘My God, when is it enough offense?’"
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia ranks third in the SEC with 15 touchdown passes. He has completed 70.5% of his throws and he is averaging 286.7 yards of total offense thanks to his own running ability.
Drinkwitz said Pavia has improved his accuracy as a thrower but remains a threat with his legs.
“He knows how to attack angles. He knows how to utilize pump fakes with the quarterback position. He knows how to eliminate angles, which is really just a savviness. He can get skinny and he can lower his shoulder," Drinkwitz said. “He's got all the traits you want from a really tough physical runner.”
Lea had his own compliments for Missouri QB Beau Pribula: “I’ve been impressed with the quarterback both in his ability to make plays as a thrower but also what he can do as a runner as well.”
Before worrying about Pribula, Vanderbilt will have to defend Ahmad Hardy, who is third in the country with 840 yards rushing. Hardy has run for at least 100 yards in 11 of his last 14 games dating back to Louisiana-Monroe last season.
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