Coach James Franklin promised to change the mindset at Vanderbilt when he was hired last December. He now has the Commodores on the verge of a bowl berth.
At 5-5, they can qualify for their second bowl in 30 years with a victory at Tennessee on Saturday, but Vanderbilt is 0-3 on the road this season. Even if they lose this week, the Commodores can still qualify if they win at Wake Forest on Nov. 26.
"If we put the pressure on us, then it changes our mindset, and I feel like our mindset, so far, has been working," offensive lineman Wesley Johnson said. "So, we are going to keep trying to do the same thing."
Vanderbilt has improved in several areas this year, including points (26.1 per game compared to 18.8 last year), total offense (334.9 from 280.3), points allowed (21.6 from 31.6) and yards (327.6 from 437.2), but the Commodores’ ability to run the ball has fueled their success.
Zac Stacy has taken advantage of opportunity that came about when Warren Norman (Chamblee) -- Vanderbilt's leading rusher the past two seasons and the 2009 SEC freshman of the year -- was forced to miss this season with a knee injury.
Stacy has 891 yards and is poised to become the first back at the school to run for 1,000 yards since Jermaine Johnson in 1995, and only the third in history. Stacy, who already has the fifth-best, single-season total in school history, has helped the Commodores average 425.6 yards of offense in their past five games.
"We set out to change the culture within the organization, within our locker room first, and then hopefully change the culture overall with our fans and with the school," quarterback Jordan Rodgers said. "We're more confident and we're more prepared than we've ever been. And that's why you're getting the product that we're showing."
Burning question
What will happen if LSU, Alabama and Arkansas all finish with one SEC loss? Life in the West would get a little wild if Arkansas upsets LSU on Nov. 25 and Alabama defeats Auburn the next day.
That would give all three of those teams one SEC loss and put them in a three-way tie at the top of the division. If that happens, the deadlock would be broken by the BCS standings of Nov. 27, unless all three teams are within five spots of each other.
The tiebreaker formula would go to head-to-head results between the two highest ranked teams in the BCS, which could set up a couple of scenarios.
If Arkansas defeats LSU, the Razorbacks could pass the Tigers in the BCS standings, meaning Alabama and Arkansas would be the two highest ranked SEC teams in the BCS. That would give the Crimson Tide the West title based on their win over the Razorbacks.
However, if Arkansas jumped both LSU and Alabama, the Razorbacks would win the division, based on their victory over the Tigers.
LSU can clinch the division by ending the regular season with victories over Mississippi and Arkansas.
In focus
Special teams have played a huge part in Arkansas' success. The Razorbacks have returned three punts for touchdowns -- thanks to Joe Adams -- and Dennis Johnson and Marquel Wade have each scored on kickoff returns.
Tennessee coach Derek Dooley was concerned about Arkansas' big-play ability on special teams before the teams met on Saturday, and then watched Adams weave his way for a score on what Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino called "a pretty amazing play."
Adams leads the country in punt returns, with a 17.9 average and three touchdowns. Arkansas is also 12th in the nation in kickoff returns with a 25.3 average because of Wade (29.6) and Johnson (25.1).
“Our return game is something,” Petrino said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been around one as well as we’ve done this year. The big plays, the consistency, making the opponent put the ball out of bounds or punt it short, it’s all playing into our favor, for sure.”
Petrino said the rise of the special teams has coincided with the addition of former Louisville and Michigan State coach John L. Smith to his staff two years ago.
“He does all the planning, and that's a real advantage having him here,” Petrino said.
Etc.
Auburn safety Neiko Thorpe (Tucker) had 12 tackles in a loss to Georgia. … Kevin Minter (Peachtree Ridge) had 11 tackles in LSU's victory over Western Kentucky. … Vanderbilt's T.J. Greenstone (Collins Hill) is projected to start at defensive tackle against Tennessee. He has seven tackles and two sacks this season. … Darius Hanks (Norcross) is Alabama's third-leading receiver with 21 catches for 270 yards and a touchdown.
Quotable
"It looked really bad. The way it felt at the game, I thought it was going to look a lot worse, but it was still awful. It was just really bad. It was tough to watch." — Auburn quarterback Clint Moseley on watching video of Georgia's 45-7 victory over the Tigers
"The main thing I'm getting is the question as to who will be the new coach? They ask if they should come to the games. Questions are hard to answer because we don't have the answers. … Some of them are already committed to Ole Miss, so they should keep them first. This is the biggest decision of their lives so far." -- Mississippi coach Houston Nutt, who is stepping down at the end of the season, on recruiting
By the numbers
5 — Tennessee hasn't scored in the second half of five consecutive games. The Volunteers have been outscored 118-22 in the second half of their six SEC games.
17 -- Freshmen played by Auburn this season, second most in the country behind Texas, which has played 18. Tennessee is fifth with 15, and Georgia and Florida are tied for eighth with 13 each.
Schedule
Citadel at South Carolina, noon
Kentucky at Georgia, 12:21 p.m. (WPCH)
Samford at Auburn, 1 p.m.
Furman at Florida, 1 p.m.
Georgia Southern at Alabama, 2 p.m.
Mississippi State at Arkansas, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
LSU at Mississippi, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Vanderbilt at Tennessee, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
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