Vanderbilt football vs. Alabama A&M: Score prediction, scouting report
After an uninspiring win over Hawaii, Vanderbilt football has a number of issues to address.
Both the defensive and offensive lines have been concerns for the Commodores (1-0). With a game at Wake Forest looming on Sept. 9, Vanderbilt has one more game against Alabama A&M to try to fix things before a string of important games.
The Bulldogs are the Commodores' FCS opponent this year. Based in Huntsville, Alabama, they compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Vanderbilt is the only FBS opponent on Alabama A&M's schedule this year.
The game will be held at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
Here are three things to know about the matchup:
Strong 2021, but 2022 was a struggle
Alabama A&M played four games in the spring of 2021 after the FCS opted not to play during the fall of 2020 because of COVID-19, going 4-0. The Bulldogs followed that up with a 7-3 season in the fall 2021. However, during that stretch, Alabama A&M didn't play any Division I teams outside the SWAC or MEAC.
In 2022, the Bulldogs finished 4-7. All four of their wins were within the conference but they were blown out by both FBS teams they played, losing to UAB, 59-0, and Troy, 38-17.
Vanderbilt football injury report
Vanderbilt has several injury uncertainties in three of its biggest areas of concern from the Hawaii game: the offensive and defensive lines and secondary.
On the offensive line, starting right tackle Junior Uzebu is questionable after missing Thursday's practice with an undisclosed injury. His backup, Leyton Nelson, is also questionable with a foot sprain. If neither of them are available, Charlie Clark would likely be the next man up at right tackle.
Defensive lineman Darren Agu remains out with an elbow injury and Linus Zunk is questionable with an upper body injury. Cornerback Martel Hight is also questionable with an undisclosed injury. If Hight remains out, Trudell Berry and Gumbo Gaskins would be the next available players.
Alabama A&M's first game
Like last week, Vanderbilt will be facing an opponent that doesn't have anything from this season on film, as Alabama A&M has yet to play a game in 2023. That could prove tricky as the Bulldogs are likely to show things in the game that they haven't before.
"This is basically like another Week Zero game because we're going off last year," linebacker/safety CJ Taylor said. " ... So this week will probably be like last week, we'll see some stuff that we didn't see in the previous game."
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Vanderbilt football vs Alabama A&M score prediction
Vanderbilt 42, Alabama A&M 21: Vanderbilt should be able to score on the Bulldogs through its passing attack, but the question is how the defense holds up.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt score prediction vs Alabama A&M: College football Week 1
