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The Vanderbilt Commodores travel for the first time this football season as they face off against the Georgia State Panthers in Atlanta (1-0) on Saturday.
The Commodores, who opened their season with an overtime win against Virginia Tech, are currently undefeated and looking to improve to 3-0. The same cannot be said for the Panthers, who lost their season opener to Georgia Tech 12-35 on Aug 31.
Although the Commodores have started their season off strong, head coach Clark Lea says the Panthers present a challenge.
Week 2 Recap
Georgia State secured its first win of the season against Chattanooga on Sept. 7. After a tight game, running back Freddie Brock led the team to victory with a game-winning touchdown.
Vanderbilt remained undefeated in a 55-0 shut out game against Alcorn State. The Commodores were unwilling to let the Braves make big play, giving up just 71 yards. Quarterback Diego Pavia guided the team to a fast lead, closing out the first half 27-0.
With a strong lead, several of the younger Vanderbilt players were able to enter the field, allowing for exposure time and experience as their collegiate football careers begin. Coach Lea mentions that this was a great opportunity for those players to get comfortable and build on their skills.
Game Preview
Vanderbilt worked to reshape their schedule this season, favoring home and state games. Coach Lea discusses the advantages behind playing locally:
With the Commodores playing on the road for the first time in the 2024 season, Georgia State will take the opportunity to use the home crowd as an advantage. The Panthers’ home game on Saturday ended in a win, so the team is striving for similar results.
However, although Vanderbilt has played only at home, they defeated Virginia Tech, a game the Commodores were not favored to win.
Combined with last week’s seamless victory against Alcorn State, the Commodores are on a performance high. This could create challenges for the Panthers.
Saturday’s kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
