Texas football game-by-game predictions for the 2024 season
Game 8: @ Vanderbilt (Oct. 26)
Location: FirstBank Stadium (Nashville, TX)
Following the high stakes matchup against Georgia in Week 7, the Longhorns travel to Nashville to face head coach Clark Lea and the Vanderbilt Commodores, with an opportunity to end the month of October on a high note no matter what happens in the previous two weeks.
Lea made some pretty significant changes to his coaching staff and offensive and defensive schemes for Vanderbilt this offseason. Vandy added former New Mexico State Aggies transfer quarterback Diego Pavia and offensive coordinator Tim Beck to run the Commodore offense in the SEC this fall.
Pavia is facing an enormous jump in competition, going from playing in the Conference-USA under head coach Jerry Kill at New Mexico State last season to playing in the toughest conference in the country in the SEC this coming season.
Vanderbilt's SEC slate isn't too forgiving either, with matchups against Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, LSU, and Mizzou all on tap for the regular season.
Vanderbilt actually has a winning record all-time against the Longhorns, at 8-3-1. But all the matchups in the history of this series between Texas and Vanderbilt took place before 1930.
Texas should be a very heavy favorite, despite going on the road in Week 8, against Vanderbilt in the the first contest between these teams on the gridiron in 96 years.