Both teams will be trying to avoid a losing season in Thursday’s Texas Bowl, as the Baylor Bears face the Vanderbilt Commodores. In a battle of two 6-6 teams, the Commodores are 4-point favorites with an over/under of 55.5 points.
Win or lose, Baylor still made incredible progress in Matt Rhule’s second season in Waco. The Bears were 1-11 in 2017, so a five-win improvement and bowl bid are both huge steps forward for Baylor. It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bears beat rival Texas Tech in their season finale to secure their trip to the Texas Bowl.
Meanwhile, Vandy coach Derek Mason may have saved his job by getting the Commodores to a bowl game. As usual, it was tough for Vanderbilt to keep pace with the upper-echelon teams in the SEC. But the Commodores managed to win three of their final four games to get to 6-6. They will now seek their first bowl win since 2013 and their first winning season of Mason’s tenure.
Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
The Baylor offense was quite inconsistent from game to game this season. They scored 30 or more points in six of their 12 games. However, they were also held to 17 points or less in four of their games, which all of those games coming during the second half of the season. The Baylor running game was steady but unspectacular and quarterback Charlie Brewer was hot and cold. The Bears will also be without their top playmaker, Jalen Hurd, during the Texas Bowl, which doesn’t help their cause.
The question is whether the Vandy defense is good enough to make sure the Bears have an off day offensively. The Commodores conceded 25 points per game this season, which is respectable when you consider they faced eight bowl teams and four top-15 teams this season. Against a somewhat modest Baylor offense, the Commodores may have an advantage on this side of the ball.
Tough Act to Follow
Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur will be trying to close out his career on a high, although it’ll be tough to surpass what he did in his team’s season finale. Against rival Tennessee, Shurmur completed 31 of his 35 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns. It was an utterly brilliant performance that helped get the Commodores to a bowl game. If he plays anywhere near that level against Baylor, the Bears will have their hands full.
The Baylor defense was far from convincing most of the season. They gave up 30 points or more on five occasions, proving that they can be vulnerable against good offensive teams. While Shurmur doesn’t have elite playmakers around him, the Commodores do have a 1,000-yard rusher in Ke’Shawn Vaughn to help them stay balanced.
Knowledge is Power
Known mostly for their academic prowess, this Vanderbilt team has some impressive athleticism on both sides of the ball. They also have a big edge at the quarterback position in this game. Look for Vanderbilt to get the better of Baylor on both sides of the ball and eventually build a comfortable lead. Bet on Vanderbilt covering the 4-point spread in the Texas Bowl.
