Georgia gears up for Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt will try to do something it was quite familiar with in the past - bounce back from a loss.
   
This midseason loss just happened to be the first of this season for the Commodores, who squandered their chance to go 4-0 in the
Southeastern Conference for the first time, but fell to Mississippi State 17-14.
   
The task at hand this week is much more imposing - trying to secure a victory over 10th-ranked Georgia Between the Hedges of Sanford Stadium.
   
“We will try to bounce back,“ Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. “Our guys are pretty resilient, and our coaching staff will
be too. It is tough to be that close and not get a win.“
   
Georgia holds a commanding 48-18-2 lead in the series, including a 25-6 advantage at home. That sixth Commodore victory came on
their last trip to Athens, a 24-22 decision in 2006.
   
When the Bulldogs appeared in Nashville last year, they needed a field goal on the final play of the game to secure a 20-17 victory.
   
The 22nd-ranked Commodores are a 15-point underdog, which won’t mean much to a team that frequently finds itself in the underdog role.
   
“I think our team has gotten used to playing in big atmospheres and they know that if we execute the way we know can, we will have
a chance to on the road,“ Johnson said. He’s knows the task will be tough against Georgia’s talent.

“They are an awfully good football team,“ Johnson said of the Bulldogs. “Georgia has so many players that can make big plays and it will be a challenge for us.“

Johnson said he expected his team will work hard in practice and have the right attitude.  “That’s all we can ask them to do,“ he said. “We’ll be ready
to play.“
   
Elsewhere around the SEC, with Auburn and No. 5 Florida having open dates:

Mississippi (plus 13½) at No. 2 Alabama: Both teams are coming off open dates. The Tide has won 21 of its 22 games against the Rebels in Tuscaloosa. With John Parker directing, there’s no reason to expect the Crimson Tide to lose.
   
Arkansas (plus 10½) at Kentucky: The Razorbacks did something last week that Kentucky has yet to do - win an SEC game. The
Wildcats (0-2 in the conference) should take care of that matter on Saturday.

No. 13 LSU (minus 3½) at South Carolina: Steve Spurrier has the Gamecocks on a roll with consecutive victories over UAB, Ole Miss
and Kentucky. This time the opposition is much better. Tigers should rebound from big loss at Spurrier’s alma mater.

Mississippi State (minus 8½) at Tennessee: State is in a three-way tie for the cellar in the West, Tennessee has the cellar
to itself in the East, one-half game behind Kentucky. Phillip Fulmer is under a lot of pressure in Knoxville with the Vols
struggling with a 2-4 mark. His team can’t afford another loss.