The Vanderbilt Commodores are preparing for a matchup of top-25 teams this Saturday as they welcome the No. 5-ranked Texas Longhorns to town.
As the Longhorns make their to Nashville, they'll be staring across the sideline at an opponent that has already upset both Alabama and Virginia Tech earlier this season. While Vandy fans are ready for what might be the biggest game in their program's history in quite some time, they also aren't afraid to take some shots at the Longhorns along the way, either.
Texas students went viral Saturday evening in their matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs when they littered the field with water bottles. While the SEC officials did nothing in-game to penalize Texas, the SEC issued a heavy $250,000 fine to the University of Texas and threatened to end alcohol sales in Austin if the school didn't comply with its list of items that needed to be done, including ensuring that this behavior would never happen again.
After using video surveillance, many Texas students were sent text messages earlier this week that they will not be able to return to a game in Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium for the remainder of 2024 due to their conduct. Now, Vanderbilt fans are pouring it on, no pun intended.
This particular Vandy fan wins "Troll Job of the Year" for creating a post on X that the Commodores were installing "temporary netting" to help with the threat of Texas fans making their way into the stadium. He noted that the netting "may stay up" for the Tennessee game later this year.
BREAKING – Vanderbilt has installed temporary netting at FirstBank Stadium ahead of the matchup with Texas.
— Trés Lawless • Vandy Uni Tracker (@jerrylawless3) October 23, 2024
AD Candice Storey Lee said putting the net in front of the visiting section was precautionary.
Lee also noted the netting may stay for the Tennessee game later this year. pic.twitter.com/479oMW3kEp
Though this post was a troll job and not a real-life initiative by Vanderbilt, that didn't stop it from going viral on social media.
They’re gonna have to do something different for Tennessee. Mustard can go right through that.
— Chris Murphy (@murph_2911) October 23, 2024
When Vandy starts trolling SEC teams, you know they’re moving up.
— b (@blakesmith_) October 23, 2024
This is the play pen method. Used when petulant children come to town. Blahahahah
— Sheldon (@Sheldon16938421) October 23, 2024
Of course, it didn't take long for a couple of trolls to take their shots back at Vanderbilt, either.
You do realize you would need to net 98% of the stadium … since ya know, it is filled with opposing fans 😂
— Cameron Smith (@DeputySmitty) October 23, 2024
Just to be clear: There won't actually be netting to keep water bottles from pelting the field, but the SEC will be on high alert the rest of the year in policing fan behavior.
Though Texas is a heavy 18.5-point favorite coming into the game against Vanderbilt, the Longhorns better be careful. Diego Pavia and that RPO game has been trouble for sevearl teams this year and Texas could be no different.