SEC Power Rankings: LSU, Alabama Fortify Themselves At The Top, Ole Miss Makes a Move

Sep 7, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver

(17) stiff arms Austin Peay Governors cornerback Buddy Mitchell (27) during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

9. Vanderbilt Commodores

Record: 1-1 (0-1)

Previous Ranking: 9 (Trend: — )

Last Week: Vanderbilt 38, Austin Peay 3

This Week: at South Carolina

Next Week: at Massachusetts

Vanderbilt bounced back from their opening season loss to Ole Miss by destroying Austin Peay. The question now is if Vanderbilt can pull of an upset at South Carolina.

Teams have exposed South Carolina on defense by scheming away from Jadeveon Clowney. The lack of an adjustment by the Gamecocks may keep the door open for the Commodores to steal one at SC. But are they good enough to expose USC’s flaw?

It is going to come down to whether or not Austyn Carta-Samuels can make plays while also taking care of the ball. Carta-Samuels threw two critical picks in Ole Miss game that came back to haunt them, and nullify what had been a pretty solid game overall for him. If Carta-Samuels can protect the ball and the defense can limit big plays then Vanderbilt has a serious shot to knock off South Carolina on the road.

We’ll talk more about this when we get to South Carolina.