Greg McElroy predicts Vanderbilt-Tennessee rivalry game winner

The Vanderbilt Commodores travel to Knoxville on Saturday looking to secure a historic tenth win. Standing in their way are the Tennessee Volunteers, who have won six consecutive games in this in-state series. The matchup at Neyland Stadium features two teams with contrasting styles, prompting Always College Football host Greg McElroy to favor the visiting Commodores in his recent analysis.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback pointed to the consistency of the road team as a deciding factor. While acknowledging the explosive nature of the home squad, McElroy believes Vanderbilt is "the more complete football team" right now. He expects them to "get this thing done" in a hostile environment by adhering to a disciplined game plan.

McElroy noted that while the Volunteers have a "higher ceiling" and a dangerous passing attack, the Commodores can neutralize those threats.

The ESPN broadcaster predicted that Vanderbilt would "control the pace by running the football" and "capitalize on a couple mistakes" that the Tennessee defense might make. He concluded that these elements should lead to a Vanderbilt victory in "what should be a very exciting game."

Greg McElroy Sides With Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

The clash of philosophies centers on tempo. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel runs an "RPO-centric spread tempo attack" that relies on volume and rhythm. In contrast, Vanderbilt excels at clock management, ranking 32nd nationally in time of possession, while Tennessee ranks 127th.

McElroy explained that the "ultimate objective for Vandy here is to starve Tennessee's offense of opportunities." The Commodores can achieve this by "playing defense with their offense" and utilizing their "high-efficiency offense to control the clock."

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is the catalyst for this approach. McElroy warned that the Tennessee defensive front must maintain disciplined interior pressure to contain him. He stressed that defenders cannot allow Pavia to "escape horizontally" because that leads to defensive breakdowns and "unexpected big play" opportunities.