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Texas vs. Vanderbilt: Final odds and prediction

The pregame spread has narrowed, but still favors No. 5 Texas by three possessions against No. 25 Vanderbilt for Week 9.

By Andrew Miller

Steve Sarkisian, Texas football
Steve Sarkisian, Texas football / Brett Patzke-Imagn Images
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A tough road game against the No. 25 Vanderbilt Commodores kicks off for head coach Steve Sarkisian and No. 5 Texas football in a few hours Saturday afternoon. This matchup against Vanderbilt is Texas's first ever true SEC road game.

Despite the humbling 15-point loss to the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs at home last weekend, Sarkisian and the Longhorns are still one of the favorites in the SEC title game odds, as long as they handle business in the next few weeks in conference games. Texas needs to show balance and intensity on each side of the ball if it wants to take care of business this weekend against a good Vandy team on the road.

The betting odds favor Sarkisian and the Longhorns to be the first P4 opponent to beat Vandy in regulation this season. Vandy has been a difficult place to play for ranked SEC teams. Head coach Clark Lea and the Commodores upset the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in Nashville a few weeks ago.

And Vandy also came within an overtime drive of upsetting the No. 7 Mizzou Tigers in Nashville in late September.

Here's a look at the final betting odds and game prediction for the Week 9 matchup between No. 5 Texas and No. 25 Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN, on Oct. 26 at 3:15 p.m. CT.

Texas football vs. Vanderbilt odds

Texas is a 17.5-point favorite against Vanderbilt a few hours before kickoff in Week 9. And the Longhorns are favored in the money line (-950) over the Commodores (+610), per FanDuel. The over/under is 51.5 points.

The betting line has moved a few points away from the Longhorns in the pregame spread since Texas opened up as a 20.5-point favorite.

Texas football vs. Georgia prediction

If the Longhorns want to cover the spread against Vandy on the road, Sarkisian needs a stronger performance from quarterback Quinn Ewers and the offense. Texas must set the tone on the ground with a rushing attack that was shut down against Georgia last weekend.

Despite the spread favoring the Longhorns so heavily, and the ESPN matchup predictor giving Texas over a 90 percent chance of winning, I still think this game will be close most of the way against Vandy. The Commodores ability to methodically keep the chains moving down the field on offense with Diego Pavia at quarterback controls the clock effectively.

I think Texas can grab control of this game in the second half with its advantage in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and the defense holding tight after a few drives to adjust to the Vandy option attack.

Final score prediction: Texas-38, Vanderbilt-24

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