Ranking Vanderbilt football's 2022 opponents, easiest to hardest
Coming off a 2-10 season, Vanderbilt football has an even tougher schedule than last year. It will be a tough task for the Commodores, who kick off their season in just under four weeks, to improve on 2021's mark in the difficult SEC.
The Tennessean ranks Vanderbilt's 12 opponents from easiest to hardest:
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12. Elon
Vanderbilt learned last year not to underestimate FCS teams. But as far as FCS teams go, the Phoenix aren’t in the same league as ETSU. They were 6-5 in 2021 and provided the only win for 1-10 Wofford. If the Commodores can’t beat this team, it’s a major problem.
11. Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors in 2021 underwent plenty of drama, from a player revolt to a stadium condemnation. The program is in flux. The hardest part about this game is that it’s on the road and there’s a tough time change, but that didn’t hurt the baseball or basketball teams when they played there.
10. Northern Illinois
The bad news: Vanderbilt is playing last year’s MAC champion on the road. The good news? Advanced analytics like SP+ and FPI didn’t think the Huskies were actually very good last year and don’t think they’ll be very good this year. Northern Illinois went winless in 2020, so Vanderbilt has to hope the Huskies they’re getting are closer to the 2020 version than 2021.
9. Missouri
The Tigers did land the 15th-ranked recruiting class in the country, but it typically takes a year or two for improved recruiting to show up in the results. For 2022, Missouri looks like one of the weakest teams in the SEC, especially on defense.
8. South Carolina
The Commodores almost beat the Gamecocks last season. South Carolina has gotten better but still appears to be a bottom-half SEC squad. New QB Spencer Rattler has always been more potential than production, and the recruiting has been relatively lackluster.
7. Wake Forest
Wake Forest made it to the ACC Championship Game in 2021. But while Wake has one of the most potent offenses in the country, its defense is dreadful. Last year, Vanderbilt didn’t show any ability to win a shootout, but at least the Demon Deacons have a weakness to attack.
6. Florida
The Gators played below their talent level last year, leading to a coaching change. Due to that, the recruiting wasn’t up to Florida’s usual standards. This projects to be a good, not great team.
5. Ole Miss
The Rebels were a New Year’s Six team last year, but Ole Miss also lost a lot from that team and rebuilt mainly through transfers, a risky strategy.
4. Kentucky
The Wildcats under Mark Stoops are the classic high-floor team. They aren’t flashy and they don’t dominate the recruiting rankings, but they’re well-coached and don’t make mistakes. This feels like a game Kentucky, coming off a 10-win season, will quietly dominate.
3. Tennessee
On one hand, this rivalry is always chaotic, evidenced by Vanderbilt’s five wins over Tennessee in the past 10 seasons. But this is shaping up to be the Vols’ best team in years, with an up-tempo offense led by Hendon Hooker, who should be one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC. Good luck trying to stop it.
2. Alabama
Alabama is one of the greatest dynasties college football has seen, and to add insult to injury, this game is in Tuscaloosa. Vanderbilt drew the short end of the stick by not only getting the Crimson Tide on the road, but for it to not even be the toughest matchup.
1. Georgia
Georgia takes the top spot here by virtue of being the reigning national champions. The Bulldogs are packed with talent, particularly on defense, and they gave Vanderbilt a historic beatdown at Vanderbilt Stadium last fall. In Athens? It’s hard to imagine.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football schedule: ranking 2022 opponents easiest to hardest
