Another Vandy Football Season

It is not easy being a Vanderbilt football fan. While my wife prepares to see her Georgia Bulldogs defend their number one preseason ranking and some of my in-laws wonder if their Florida Gators can get another championship and it Tebow can repeat as the Heisman trophy, I wonder if this will finally be the season where we get to a bowl game.

It has now been over a quarter of a century since the 1982 Hall of Fame bowl. The good news is that we've been closer than ever under Coach Bobby Johnson. In 2007 we were only one play away from beating both Georgia and Tennessee. I'd say that is pretty darn impressive for a small private school going up against tax-payer funded powerhouses of the SEC. Each of the past three season have had a signature upset win: at South Carolina in 2007, at Georgia in 2006, and at Tennessee in 2005.

Unfortunately, 2008 will be a rebuilding year for my Commodores. We lost SEC star WR Earl Bennett to the NFL draft (selected in the third round by Chicago) along with other defensive players. We also don't have a definitive starting quarterback since neither Nickson nor Adams won the job permanently last season.

Also, the schedule will be tougher this year. I would expect wins against Rice and Duke, and possible victories against Miami (OH) and maybe Ole Miss. After that things get more dicey with Mississippi State (who went to a bowl last season) and perhaps Kentucky or Wake Forest. I'll be happy with a four win season or a signature upset win, such as against Auburn (we haven't beaten them since 1955) or Florida (last win 1988) or Tennessee (how sweet that victory would be).

I also hope that DB D.J. Moore, first team all-SEC, will have an outstanding season. The experts say we have one of the best secondaries in the country (our defense was ranked 16th nationally last year). It would be nice of that could continue. The key to our future is to continue having Vandy players drafted in early rounds of the NFL. Cutler and Williams going in the first round over past three seasons has certainly helped our visibility!