YES, IT'S TIME! The 19th annual VandyMania 'Predict the Season' Contest!!

[BrentVU]

One year ago today... Vandy fans were wondering if Clark Lea could improve upon a two-win rookie season; Mike Wright had been announced at Media Days as QB starter; and the Dores were preparing for a weeklong trip to Hawai'i. VandyManiacs collectively predicted a 4-win season for 2022. Well, things went good (a 3-1 start), then things went bad. After the Dores lost close losses to South Carolina and Missouri, the specter of a third straight winless SEC season loomed. But lo and behold (just as BrentVU fearlessly predicted, never forget), Vandy snared two great conference wins down the stretch, and the 5-7 final record was a step in the right direction.

Welcome to 2023! Georgia is gunning for a third straight national championship; Deion Sanders is at Colorado; and the Pac-12 has imploded. Meanwhile, in Nashville, Coach Lea has brought in another very athletic recruiting class, and several position groups are starting to show signs of legitimate SEC depth. The stadium may be in a state of shambles right now, but the football program, for once, isn't. Still, questions remain about (1) a defense that gave up 50+ points four times last year; (2) the prospect of replacing the departed Ray Davis at RB; and (3) A.J. Swann's durability.

This is the 19th annual edition of the OFFICIAL VandyMania Preseason Prediction Contest. You know what to do! Answer the questions below in a reply to this thread. A perfect score would be 60 points. At the end of the season, we'll look at everyone's predictions and declare a winner or winners. I do this every year, mainly because I am curious as to what loyal fans' collective expectations for the season are. I am the sole judge of this contest. There are no prizes, but you could go down as a VandyMania Legend... last year secchamp (who let us know she was female) blew everybody else away with a score of 40. Ready?

1. How many games will Vanderbilt win in the REGULAR SEASON? (Not including SECCG, bowls, or playoffs. There are 12 games. (10 points. Integer values only, please. NOTE: Last year the correct answer would have been 5. You're specifying the number of Vandy wins at the end of the regular season and must hit it on the nose.)

2. Which two teams will meet for the SEC Championship Game? (5 points each)

3. Who will be the most valuable SEC offensive and defensive player, as named by AP? (5 points each)

4. Which four teams will be selected for the College Football Playoff? (5 points each)

5. Who will be this year's Heisman Trophy winner? (10 points) Note that Caleb Williams, last year's winner, is back for USC.

Make sure your answers are not ambiguous, or I might count them wrong. Contest closes Tuesday morning, August 22, when the thread is locked and archived. Good luck!

[AuricGoldfinger]

1. 5
2. Georgia, Alabama
3. Brock Bowers, Harold Perkins
4. Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Florida State
5. Jordan Travis, Florida State

[Dickeys Nightmare]

1. 8.

2. Don’t care unless Vanderbilt is one.

3. Don’t care unless one is a Vanderbilt player.

4. Really don’t care unless VU is one.

5. Meaningless award. They don’t abide by their own rules.

[nyyankeeDore]

1. 7

2. Alabama and Georgia

3. A. J. Swann; Georgia's middle linebacker

4. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas

5. Caleb Williams

[Go Vandy!]

A quick word of caution. I am optimistic about the future of VU FB, as well as the *entire athletics program. And this is the time to wish and hope the team has a remarkable season. Just please don't get down on CCL or the team if, say, there are only 5 Ws. Which is my pick. And they'd STILL have to win a game or 2 they aren't favored in. But there isn't ONE VANDERBILT FAN ALIVE who wouldn't be increasingly happy with each additional win. I'll go as far as to say if there is, that person is NOT a true Vandy fan.

*I may be among the minority who is very, very happy the stadium will look like (a word or words you wouldn't want it to look like) during the season. And that entry and departure may be a nightmare. The more complaints and criticisms from opponents, their fans, outside media members, etc. that it gets, the prouder i will be. This is unprovable, and very possibly wrong, but i believe more progress has been made THIS YEAR at the Bank than the sum total of the last 60.

[cjdore]

Book em........

1) 6
2) UGA vs LSU
3) Quinshon Judkins & Harold Perkins
4) UGA, LSU, Mich, Clemson
5) Caleb Williams

[HAILMURY]

1. 5
2. Georgia vs Alabama
3. Spencer Rattler and Dallas
4. Ga., Bama, Mich, USC Trojans
5. Caleb Williams

[skinnerfan]

1. 5
2.Georgia Vs. Alabama
3.Daniels and Dallas
4.Georgia, Ohio St, Alabama ,USC
5.Caleb Williams

[MikenNashville]

1. 7
2. Georgia, Texas am
3. Daniels, Perkins
4. Georgia, Ohio st, USCw, FSU
5. Williams

[VU1970]

1. 6
2. Georgia, Alabama
3. Bowers, Perkins
4. Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Southern Cal
5. Travis, FSU

[ChattaDore]

1. 6

2. GA / LSU

3. Ladd McConkey / N. Watson (MSU)

4. Georgia, Michigan, LSU, Texas

5. Jordan Travis, FSU

[MrMemorial]

1. How many games will Vanderbilt win in the REGULAR SEASON?

six

2. Which two teams will meet for the SEC Championship Game? (5 points each)

Georgia / LSU

3. Who will be the most valuable SEC offensive and defensive player, as named by AP? (5 points each)

Jayden Daniels -offense / Mekhi Wingo - defense

4. Which four teams will be selected for the College Football Playoff? (5 points each)

Georgia / Ohio State / LSU / USC-west

5. Who will be this year's Heisman Trophy winner? (10 points) Note that Caleb Williams, last year's winner, is back for USC.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

[Lynchsr]

1) Vandy wins - 7-5 (3-5). Edited for math error
2) SEC Championship LSU v. TN (yuck)
3) SEC Offensive player LSU QB Daniel’s
SEC Defensive player Alabama DB Kool-aid Mckinstry
4) CFP - LSU, U Southern Cal, Kansas St, Penn St
5) Caleb Williams

[Nashmann]

1. 5
2. Georgia, Alabama

Don't care about the rest

[commadore]

1) Vandy wins - 7-5 (2-6)
2) SEC Championship LSU v. TN (yuck)
3) SEC Offensive player LSU QB Daniel’s
SEC Defensive player Alabama DB Kool-aid Mckinstry
4) CFP - LSU, U Southern Cal, Kansas St, Penn St
5) Caleb Williams

Just a note: Vandy can't be 7-5 and go 2-6 in the SEC.

[cc11316]

1. 5

2. Alabama / Georgia

3. Offense: Jayden Daniels (LSU), Defense: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Ala)

4. Georgia, Michigan, USC, Alabama

5. Quinn Ewers, Texas

[Doreknox]

1. 5

2. Georgia and LSU

3. Jayden Daniels/Kool-Aid (on the strength of his name alone!)

4. Georgia, Penn State, LSU. USC-West

5. Caleb Williams

[VUadmiral]

1. 6 wins and hope it low

2. Georgia and Alabama

3. Jayden Daniels, LSU and Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia

4.Georgia, Michigan, USC west and Alabama

5. Jayden Daniels


Anchor Down y'all!
The Admiral

[roanoke]

1) hope springs eternal:

six.

OC creativity will decide it. All pocket passes and run between the hashes will not do it. Misdirection, throws to backs, and open up the field makes even more wins possible. The schedule is not terrible.

2) Georgia and Alabama

3) Daniels and McKinstry (whose punt returns help his name recognition)

4) Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, USC (west)

I hate this - but the big ten beats up the weak schedules again and get 2 in… a very good deserving two loss SEC team gets left out.

5) Blake Corum. I think Michigan goes undefeated in the regular season. Here is a fun dark horse: Bo Nix. The PAC is weak - and either USC or Oregon will run the table. Their qbs will get lots of publicity. Caleb Williams obviously isn’t a dark horse…

[dallasdore]

1. Five

2. LSU v South Carolina

3. Judkins, Ole Miss and Harold Perkins Jr, LSU

4. LSU, Michigan, USCw, Bama

5. Jayden Daniels, LSU QB

Yes, I think UGa loses at least two games this year. No, only five wins for Vandy is not an underachievement. LSU is my pick for the natty.