Power ranking the SEC after week 6 - 9: Vanderbilt
The Commodores didn't get the result they wanted with their trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend, but they came close. The final ended up looking emphatic, but this was a game that very much hung in the balance for most of the duration.
Diego Pavia's red zone interception ended up being the most impactful play of the day, as the Commodores were looking to take the lead late before that pick. For a guy that's taken care of the ball as well as Pavia has, that had to be absolutely crushing, but those kinds of plays determine games with margins this small.
Vandy will have some time to regroup, as they have a bye before they host LSU on October 18. That will be an opportunity to pull off a massive upset, and I'm not sure I wouldn't pick the Commodores in that spot— as of right now, the Commodores are favored according to ESPN analytics.
Regardless, to go into that bye at 5-1 is maybe better than any Vandy fan was anticipating. They are still in contention for a spot in the SEC championship at this point, but they'll need some things to go their way.