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Vanderbilt Football: Can Commodores ever contend for SEC Title?

By Andrew Miller

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 04: Trey Ellis #36 of the Vanderbilt Commodores celebrates with teammate C.J. Duncan #19 after scoring a touchdown by catching a deflected pass against the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 04: Trey Ellis #36 of the Vanderbilt Commodores celebrates with teammate C.J. Duncan #19 after scoring a touchdown by catching a deflected pass against the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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If there is any way that Vanderbilt football has what it takes to become a dark horse contender in the SEC East, they need to get to seven wins in 2018.

Vanderbilt football became more competitive within the better part of the past eight years, especially when former head football coach James Franklin took over at the helm. Current head man Derek Mason has Vandy set at a competitive level in the SEC East now.

Entering the 2018 regular season, the Commodores could be a dangerous team in the SEC, with some valuable returning production on both sides of the ball. Some of the teams projected to finish in the middle of the standings in the SEC East should watch out and not overlook the Commodores on the conference schedule.

Vandy hit a rough stretch in the middle of the 2017 regular season slate, ultimately rounding things out with a record of 5-7 (1-7 SEC). They started out with three straight victories, including and impressive win over a solid Kansas State squad. Things did go downhill from there until Vandy knocked off the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and in-state rival Tennessee Volunteers to finish off the regular season.

However, the outlook is positive for the Commodores to make it back to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season. It really hasn’t been that long since Vandy found itself bowl eligible. But, they need to make sure they don’t fall off too far under Mason.

Watch out for offensive starters like quarterback Kyle Shurmur and star wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb to surprise some people this year, and help Vandy elevate its status in the SEC. This program is still a few years off of high level contention in the SEC, but Vandy can take the right steps by getting to the seven win mark this fall.

If Vandy does contend for an SEC Title, we need to see a top two finish in the SEC East first. Getting beyond divisional foes like the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida Gators, and South Carolina Gamecocks is a tall task. Seeing Mason take the Commodores to the status of perennial bowl contender can get them down the right path toward contention in the conference.

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Yet, it is hard to imagine Vandy as anything more than a borderline bowl team in the next five years, given what’s happened in the past five years. If nothing else, Vandy tends to be a tough out for a lot of high-profile programs in the SEC East, especially the Vols.

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