Is Vandy that good?

[StylinandProfilin]

I took a peak at the Vandy board last night and they're saying unless they have 6 turnovers or something similar that they will beat us easily by 17 to 21 points. Now I have respect for Vandy's coach and think he's done a fantastic job down there, to have them competing game in and game out with as little athletic talent as they can recruit, and I admit I usually root for them against the bigger teams. I'm surprised their coach hasn't been picked up by a bigger program to be honest. But is Vandy that good now to think that they will absolutely destroy us on our field? I just can't see that happening myself. I think they'd be lucky to eke out a win by a couple. Maybe I just haven't watched them enough.

[Spanish Moss]

Yes they are good. We better bring our A game or we will leave the field like UL left the field last night. I don't think they will destroy us because we can score points. But our defense leaves much to be desired.

This is a dangerous team and capable of beating our Cats. Let's not forget that. We have to take each game as it comes and be ready for teams like Vandy. With that said, I expect a win Saturday and know we are the better team.

But our Defense has to show up.

[heatwave13]

Yes, I think Vanderbilt is a decent team that should command some respect. They beat Georgia at Athens and, last week, took the Gators down to the 4th quater, before losing 25-19. From what I've seen, they're a pretty tough bunch of players.

[VIIBanners]

Everyone is acting like they are Notre Dame or something... I know they play games close, but so do we (except LSU). They are on our field... in our fire after last weeks win. If the Cats come out "unprepared" (as we have heard so many times) we might as well go home at halftime. If we hadn't been death rolled in Louisiana we would have a little more confidence.

[Caveman Catfan]

I think Vandy can be good without doubting UK's confidence. Vandy is a solid team. They are as good as UK, IMO. This will be a big game for both teams. UK better bring its A game, because if Vandy is clicking and UK is off its game, it could get ugly. No reason to evade that fact.

[CoquieKat]

I think it'll be a good game, but a 17- to 21-point rout? Please. The Cats do need to watch out and not take the game for granted, but if they are successful in both of these, I think they can pull out the W.

[Gunsmoke]

Well Vandy better bring their A game or they will get blown out of this one! 17-21 points??? Yeah right..

[StylinandProfilin]

I agree that Vandy has a good team. I just have a hard time believing they can beat us that badly on their best day. I'm just amazed they think of themselves that highly. I know by reading the threads that Ky fans respect Vandy and what they've done, but I'm not seeing any respect from the Vandy fans for UK.

[boomdaddy]

Vandy lost by2 points to Arkansas at home, lost to UF by 6 at home, lost to Ol Miss by 7 on the road, and beat the Dawgs by 2 on the road. Also, Crhis Nickson, their QB, has the ability to take off and run for 1st downs. Yes, they are a good team. And yes, they are beatable. Go Cats.

[CatsSaintsFan]

boomdaddy wrote: Vandy lost by2 points to Arkansas at home, lost to UF by 6 at home, lost to Ol Miss by 7 on the road, and beat the Dawgs by 2 on the road. Also, Crhis Nickson, their QB, has the ability to take off and run for 1st downs. Yes, they are a good team. And yes, they are beatable. Go Cats.

Exactly, if they have everything go their way in their close games they could be 8-2, nationally ranked, challenging for the lead in the east, and THE college football story this year.

This is not a "tap in" putt. In fact, we will have to play well to win. Also, we ruined their bowl hopes last year and they'll want to return the favor.

[poodoo]

CatsSaintsFan wrote: boomdaddy wrote: Vandy lost by2 points to Arkansas at home, lost to UF by 6 at home, lost to Ol Miss by 7 on the road, and beat the Dawgs by 2 on the road. Also, Crhis Nickson, their QB, has the ability to take off and run for 1st downs. Yes, they are a good team. And yes, they are beatable. Go Cats.

Exactly, if they have everything go their way in their close games they could be 8-2, nationally ranked, challenging for the lead in the east, and THE college football story this year.

This is not a "tap in" putt. In fact, we will have to play well to win. Also, we ruined their bowl hopes last year and they'll want to return the favor.


Excellent posts, boomdaddy and CatsSaintsFan.

CatsSaintsFan, you are so right that had things gone their ways in those close games, Vandy could indeed be 8-2, nationally ranked, challenging for the SEC East lead, and being "THE college football story this year." You are also right that they will be wanting to return the favor of messing up our bowl hopes, besides their needing the win to help them get to a bowl this. We will not only have to play well to win, but probably very well, specifically forcing turnovers, which is the way some of those other teams won close games against Vandy.

Also, boomdaddy, you say it well. Vandy is a good team, but they are beatable. It's just not going to be at all easy (and especially not easy because of our having difficulties with mobile quarterbacks :(). In order to win the game, we just might need to play our best game so far. I do like that we are playing this game at Commonwealth, for sure.

Vandy's losing to Ole Miss is particularly misleading. Vandy gained 400 yards or so that game, while holding Ole Miss to under two hundred yards (199 yards, to be exact). Vandy had five or six turnovers against Ole Miss, though. I think we simply must win that turnover battle to win this game over a team that has been playing so well all season (minus its turnovers, of course). GO CATS! BEAT VANDY!

[SBCatMan]

Everything that has been stated is absolutely true. Vandy is a very good team and could easily be 8-2. But, while we certainly must respect them and bring our A game to beat them, it CAN be done.

Here are some counter-balancing points.

Yes, they played Arkansas VERY tough and perhaps should have beaten them, but that was early in the season before Arkansas got rolling. They lost pretty big to USC, and many of us think we should have beaten USC. Despite the yardage disparity, they DID lose to a pretty bad Ole Miss team. And, their loss to Florida was a bit decieving. Florida was coming off the UGA game and had a pretty healthy lead before Vandy came back late to close the gap.

None of that is to disrespect Vandy. They are good, maybe even very good. But, let's not make them out to be bigger than they are. If we come out focussed, play hard, and at least break even in the turnover battle, we stand a good chance to win this game.

[Blue4ever]

StylinandProfilin wrote: I'm just amazed they think of themselves that highly. I know by reading the threads that Ky fans respect Vandy and what they've done, but I'm not seeing any respect from the Vandy fans for UK.
It what Cawood always said about the UK - Vandy games "UK goes in thinking it should win and Vandy goes in thinking it can win".