How Vanderbilt's Win Vs. Missouri Impacts Both Teams' College Football Playoff Chances

One is nan astir improbable College Football Playoff contender from nan SEC ranks. The other, a woefully under-discussed programme that has impressed each season. Entering nan year, Vanderbilt vs. Missouri didn't look for illustration a crippled that each assemblage shot fans would person to circle connected nan calendar, but entering Week 9, nan matchup earned College GameDay treatment, pinch some nan Commodores and Tigers jockeying for playoff position.

It wasn't pretty, but Vanderbilt held connected for a 17–10 win that saw some teams move nan shot complete and suffer much than 80 yards successful penalties. In possibly nan astir impactful infinitesimal of nan crippled for Mizzou's longterm outlook, backmost Beau Pribula left Saturday's crippled successful a wheelchair, sporting an aircast.

Fischer: College Football Playoff Bracket Week 9 Live Projections

Vandy moves to 7–1 (3–1) pinch a win, while Missouri falls to 6–2 (2–2). Here’s really nan Commodores triumph impacts nan CFP title for some teams.

Entering Saturday's game, each eyes were connected these 2 offenses, pinch Vanderbilt backmost Diego Pavia taking connected Mizzou's awesome backfield duo of Beau Pribula and Ahmad Hardy. And yet, it was nan defenses that dominated this game, making it look much for illustration an old-school SEC slugfest.

After six consecutive punts to unfastened nan game, nan 2 sides traded section goals successful nan 2nd quarter, and nan crippled entered halftime astatine 3–3. The 3rd 4th wasn't importantly much exciting, astatine slightest for fans of violative football, arsenic Pavia was intercepted to unfastened play, but Mizzou turned nan shot complete connected downs connected nan ensuing possession. After a Vandy fumble and a Missouri missed section goal, nan Commodores yet recovered nan extremity area connected an 80-yard tally by Makhilyn Young. Missouri answered, pinch freshman backmost Matt Zollers, successful for nan injured Pribula, uncovering tight extremity Jude James to headdress a 12-play, 75-yard lucifer down nan field.

Ultimately, it was Pavia and nan location Commodores who had nan last punch, capitalizing connected an incredible play by CJ Heard to portion Tigers moving backmost Jamal Roberts astatine midfield. After a nine-play, 44-yard thrust that besides featured a near-fumble astatine nan extremity line, Pavia punched successful nan go-ahead score. Zollers and nan Mizzou discourtesy would threaten, and astir completed a occurrence Hail Mary connected nan last play, but nan shot fell done nan hands of Kevin Coleman Jr. astatine nan extremity line, and aft an instant replay, Vanderbilt's triumph became official.

With Vanderbilt's win…

The SEC's beloved underdogs unrecorded to spot different week arsenic a apt Top 10 team. Missouri gives Vandy a 2nd consecutive triumph complete a classed opponent, and a bully 1 astatine that arsenic nan Tigers person been very competitory this year. The Pribula wounded whitethorn alteration that going forward, but if he aliases Zollers tin support Mizzou afloat, this triumph should property beautiful well.

The remaining schedule is beautiful manageable arsenic well. The Commodores whitethorn not beryllium favored astatine Texas adjacent weekend, but nan statement should beryllium very tight contempt nan Longhorns having location section advantage, pinch Steve Sarkisian's squad down large astatine Mississippi State arsenic of publication. Auburn and Kentucky are some bottom-half SEC teams that could occurrence their coaches astatine season's end, though some tin beryllium plucky, particularly connected defense.

If Vanderbilt tin get done nan adjacent 3 games unbeaten, aliases possibly pinch conscionable 1 loss, nan play finale astatine Tennessee could beryllium a rivalry crippled that doubles arsenic a CFP play-in spot, depending connected really nan Vols fare down nan stretch. It doesn't get overmuch amended than that.

Vanderbilt's 2025 shot schedule

All rankings listed are from the Week 9 AP Top 25.

The Tigers will beryllium profoundly disappointed that they couldn't time off Nashville pinch a win, but they should support their heads held high. Their three-point nonaccomplishment to Alabama looks amended by nan week (assuming nan Crimson Tide don't suffer precocious aft re-taking a lead astatine South Carolina) and a one-score astatine Vanderbilt pinch Pribula leaving nan crippled early and nan Tigers a very adjacent Hail Mary from pulling nan upset is not 1 that wholly kills their résumé.

Mizzou's roadworthy from present is very difficult, though. After a bye, nan Tigers fans nan SEC's top-ranked team, Texas A&M, earlier a tricky day pinch upstart Mississippi State and past a travel to Oklahoma. Even nan play finale astatine Arkansas, a crippled successful which interim Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino could beryllium coaching for his early pinch nan program, won't beryllium a walkover.

Ultimately, overmuch of Missouri's playoff imaginable hinges connected Pribula's status. If he returns aft nan bye and nan Tigers tally nan table, aliases travel close, his position successful nan Vanderbilt crippled whitethorn beryllium factored successful pinch nan squad connected nan bubble. If he's retired and Zollers struggles, it will beryllium reliable treading for nan Tigers to make nan field.

Missouri's 2025 shot schedule

All rankings listed are from the Week 9 AP Top 25.

Sports Illustrated's postseason projections for Vanderbilt, Missouri

Entering Saturday's game, Vanderbilt recovered itself higher successful SI's projections connected nan spot of its triumph against LSU a week ago. After Week 8's results, Pat Forde penciled successful nan Commodores for nan No. 11 seed, mounting them up for a travel to look Miami successful nan first round. Missouri, meanwhile, was included successful his "also considered" list.

Bryan Fischer had nan Dores successful his unrecorded projected bracket astatine No. 9, slated for a first-round travel to look No. 8 Oregon. Missouri was his No. 20 squad pursuing Week 8. Check backmost soon to spot if Fischer moves Vandy aft their tight win.

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