Vanderbilt Commodores

0–0 · 0–0 SEC

Preseason

WEEK 3 · 2026

The Week 3 job

Beat NC State and avoid turning a likely win into a season problem.

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SEC Network

playoff chanceNow35%Win37%Loss24%

NC State

NC State 14%Vanderbilt 86%

Vanderbilt

By importanceWatch plan

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TV TBA

Priority 1

Root for

Kentucky

at

Texas A&M

Root for Kentucky2.3-point playoff boost

Kentucky visits your schedule in week 8: keep them ranked.

37% if Kentucky wins35% with the other result2.3-point differenceVanderbilt playoff chance

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ABC

Priority 2

Georgia

at

Root for

Arkansas

Root for Arkansas3.2-point title-game boost

SEC race: Georgia losing helps your spot in the standings; Arkansas visits your schedule in week 7: keep them ranked.

21% if Arkansas wins18% with the other result3.2-point differenceVanderbilt SEC title-game chance

53 more games that don't move your needle

LSU at Ole Miss · ABC

Syracuse at Pittsburgh · ESPN

Miami at Wake Forest · ESPN

Florida State at Alabama · ABC

Florida at Auburn · ESPN

Troy at Missouri · SECN+

New Mexico at Oklahoma · ESPN2

Mississippi State at South Carolina · SEC Network

Kennesaw State at Tennessee · SEC Network

UTSA at Texas · SECN+

Tulane at Kansas State · ESPN2

Northern Illinois at Arizona · TNT

BYU at Colorado State · CBS

Colorado at Northwestern

Miami (OH) at Cincinnati · ESPN+

Bowling Green at Iowa State · ESPNU

Arkansas State at TCU · ESPNU

Georgia State at UCF · ESPN+

Utah State at Utah · FOX

Virginia at West Virginia · ACC Network

Houston at Texas Tech · FOX

Kansas at Arizona State · FS1

North Carolina at Clemson · ESPN

SMU at Louisville

Stanford at Duke · The CW Network

Virginia Tech at Maryland

Western Kentucky at Indiana · Peacock

UTEP at Michigan · BTN

Akron at Minnesota · BTN

Kent State at Ohio State · FOX

Buffalo at Penn State · BTN

USC at Rutgers · CBS

Purdue at UCLA · BTN

Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin · Peacock

James Madison at San Diego State · The CW Network

Fresno State at San José State · FS1

North Texas at Texas State · USA Network

UConn at Southern Miss · ESPN+

East Carolina at Old Dominion · ESPN+

Florida International at Florida Atlantic · ESPN+

Western Michigan at Rice · ESPN+

Temple at Toledo · CBSSN

UAB at Louisiana · ESPN+

Nevada at Middle Tennessee · ESPN+

Wyoming at Central Michigan · ESPN+

Charlotte at App State · ESPN+

Ball State at Liberty · ESPN+

Ohio at South Alabama · ESPN+

Louisiana Tech at Baylor · ESPNU

Coastal Carolina at Delaware · CBSSN

Georgia Southern at Jacksonville State · ESPN+

Marshall at Missouri State · CBSSN

Michigan State at Notre Dame · NBC

Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 3, with preseason ratings projected from last season. How the model works.