Top 5 matchups for Week 11 of the 2024 college football season
4. South Carolina at Vanderbilt – Saturday, 4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network
South Carolina and Vanderbilt are far from perennial contenders in the SEC but both have had strong seasons in 2024. The two teams have played annually as conference foes since 1992 and 33 times overall with the Gamecocks winning 29 of those contests. Vandy鈥檚 last win over South Carolina came in Nashville in 2008 and the Commodores are slight underdogs again despite being ranked No. 24 in the AP poll.
That鈥檚 likely in part due to South Carolina鈥檚 statement victory over Texas A&M in Week 10. The Gamecocks have won two in a row and are 5-3 overall, with two losses coming by three points or less to LSU and Alabama. South Carolina was impressive defensively against the Aggies and has been all year, ranking 16th in the country behind sack leader Kyle Kennard, linebacker Bam Martin-Scott and others. The offense hasn鈥檛 been quite as sharp but is trending in the right direction with quarterback LaNorris Sellers and talented halfback Raheim Sanders.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt has started the season 6-3 and has won four of its last five games, losing only to Texas by three points during that stretch. The Commodores may have entered the playoff conversation if they had beaten the Longhorns, particularly with a victory over Alabama already this season, and they have a chance to score some more notable wins down the stretch. One of Vanderbilt鈥檚 greatest strengths recently has been a defense that has held opponents to 24 points or less in its last four games, but talented dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia is likely the reason why the Commodores would come out on top against the Gamecocks.
