#16 Vanderbilt vs #10 Alabama Predictions

[SBR Andy]

The 5-0 Vanderbilt Commadores get their first true test of the season in Week 6 when they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the 4-1 Alabama Crimson Tide.

The line has already been bet down 3 points since Bama opened -13.5.

Is Vandy for real or will they get a reality check at Bryant Denny on Saturday?

[SBR Andy]

SBR's Rob Paul breaks down the matchup in his early Vanderbilt vs Alabama prediction:

Over 57 (-110 Caesars)

"Nobody expected the Commodores to take down the Crimson Tide last year, and that victory has completely changed the trajectory of Clark Lea's tenure in Nashville. Now, he's taking No. 16 Vanderbilt into Tide territory, hoping to pull off an even more difficult upset on the road.

To do that, points will need to be scored - last year, these two programs combined for 75 points to hit the Over on a 53-point game total. This year, both teams have explosive offenses again, led by two QBs in contention by the latest Heisman Trophy odds.

Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia ranks No. 3 in the country in QBR (88.4) and No. 5 in touchdown passes (13), while Alabama's Ty Simpson sits No. 12 in QBR (84.2) and No. 9 in touchdown passes (11). With both teams having plenty of pass catchers - Eli Stowers, Tre Richardson, and Junior Sherrill for Vandy, and Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, and Isaiah Horton for Bama - both programs rank in the top 10 in EPA per pass on offense.

Defensively, both programs lag behind their offenses, ranking outside the top 30 in EPA per pass. That should help this turn into a shootout for two teams that are a combined 6-3 betting the Over this season."