The second of the ESPN double-header on Thursday night for the opening of the 2013 college football season is an SEC matchup. It’s not the sexiest game, but it’s the first night of the new season and fans will be ready for the Ole Miss Rebels visiting the Vanderbilt Commodores. This kickoff is scheduled for 9:15pm ET.
- When:
Thurs., Aug. 29th, 2013 @ 9:15pm ET
- Where:
Dudley Field, Nashville, TN
- Who’s Favored?
Rebels by 3.5 ~ 53.5 o/u @ BetOnline
- More Info:
In a conference that has been dominant on the national landscape over the course of the last decade, neither Vanderbilt or Ole Miss has enjoyed much of its success.
With that being said though, these two programs appear to be on the rise. Vandy head coach James Franklin has been taking the Commodores to bowl games, which used to be unthinkable. At the same time, Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze is coming on strong with recruiting, garnering a top-five class that included the No.1 ranked player in the country in 2013 in Robert Nkemdiche.
The Rebels could be starting something, but the problem is that the division they compete in has LSU and Alabama. Not to mention there is now Texas A&M and it won’t be long before Arkansas and Auburn are back on the map.
For Vanderbilt, they have problems of their own with Georgia, South Carolina and Florida in the East.
This is a big game for both though, in terms of conference standing and later on down the line with bowl eligibility. An early conference win is good for any program, and we will see who’s moving in the right direction.