Vanderbilt football vs. Hawaii in season opener: Score prediction, scouting report
Vanderbilt football will be the first SEC team to take the field in the 2023 college football season.
The game against Hawaii at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT, SEC Network) will be a chance to set the tone for the rest of the season, one in which the Commodores face increased expectations under third-year coach Clark Lea.
The Rainbow Warriors are in their second season under Timmy Chang and are expected to begin implementing a pass-heavy run-and-shoot offense, which relies on creating mismatches by putting receivers in motion. Hawaii went 3-10 in 2022, including a season-opening 63-10 loss to Vanderbilt.
Here's what to know about the game, including a score prediction:
Vanderbilt injuries stack up on defensive line
Vanderbilt was mostly able to avoid catastrophic injuries during the preseason, but the defensive line in particular is still banged up. Darren Agu and Christian James will miss the game with injuries, and while both could return within the next few weeks, younger players will need to step up.
One such player is sophomore Yilanan Ouattara, who originally projected as a nose tackle but has moved to defensive end. At 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, he'll provide a unique look on the edge.
Impact of weather forecast for Vanderbilt season opener?
The forecasted high temperature for Saturday is 97 degrees, and while it may be a bit cooler by kickoff, it's still likely to be a toasty evening.
Hawaii flew to Nashville earlier this week to acclimate to the heat. But this isn't usual for August in Honolulu like it is in Nashville, where the Commodores have been practicing outdoors for weeks.
Even for Vanderbilt, the heat could play a role. Vanderbilt may rotate more players in to help offset the effects of the heat, and it's likely a higher number of players will see the field than usual.
Vanderbilt has size advantage vs. Hawaii
Hawaii has just one player on its two-deep taller than 6-foot-5. Eleven players are shorter than 6 feet.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has 12 players listed on the depth chart taller than 6-5 and six players below 6 feet.
Height is more important at some positions than others, and size doesn't necessarily measure a player's skill level. But it's clear that the Commodores have a massive size advantage in this matchup, and that could make a difference on the line of scrimmage.
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Vanderbilt score prediction vs. Hawaii
Vanderbilt 49, Hawaii 13: It will be difficult to top last season's 63-10 win, but Vanderbilt has more talent than Hawaii and that should be enough for a comfortable win.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football score prediction vs. Hawaii in 2023 season opener
