2025 Vanderbilt Commodores Football Predictions

By Don Corleone Jones (@cjoneswho1212 on twitter)

The Commodores flipped the script last season. After a 2-10 record in 2023, they won seven games last season. Head coach Clark Lea made some changes that worked dividends in 2024. Now that he has some momentum, he needs to keep the momentum going. With that being said, here are my predictions for the 2025 Vanderbilt Commodores.

Offense

Diego Pavia had that one big game against Alabama and it led to him being the leader of this Vanderbilt offense. He threw for 2,290 passing yards to go along with 901 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns. Pavia is going to need help if they want to get better. They bring back Sedrick Alexander who is their bellcow running back. He runs hard, but he needs to improve on his 3.4 yards per carry that he had a season ago. Pavia’s two biggest targets are wide receiver Junior Sherill and tight end Eli Stowers. Stowers was the focal point of the offense last season. His fifty receptions to go along with 644 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns led the team. Pavia needs help up front and they bring in four transfers that will start on the offensive line. Each starter is in their graduate year, so this team is going experience over everything on the offensive line this season. If they can be better upfront, this offense has potential to do better than last year’s numbers.

Defense

This defensive front brings back key contributors Miles Capers, Khordae Sydnor, and Yilanan Ouattara, while adding high upside transfers Keanu Koht (Alabama) and Aaron Bryant (Texas) to boost depth. The linebacker unit remains intact, led by Langston Patterson and Bryce Cowan. In the secondary, they will miss CJ Taylor but they return rising star Randon Fontenette and Martel Hight, while adding help from the portal in Jordan Matthews (Tennessee) and CJ Heard (FAU). Altogether, this defense has a chance to take a step forward with more experience and a deeper rotation.

Schedule

Vs Charleston Southern (Win)

At Virginia Tech (Win)

At South Carolina (Loss)

Vs Georgia State (Win)

Vs Utah State (Win)

At Alabama (Loss)

Vs LSU (Loss)

Vs Missouri (Loss)

At Texas (Loss)

Vs Auburn (Loss)

Vs Kentucky (Loss)

At Tennessee (Win)

(5-7)

Their win total is set at 4.5 with the over at (-192) and the under at (+154). Vanderbilt has a decently easy non-conference schedule that they should take advantage of. It is once they get into conference that will hurt this squad fully. Diego Pavia can win this team five games, but if he goes down this squad will be in a world of trouble. The over odds are too high for my liking, so I will stay away from the Commodores win total.

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