The Tennessee Volunteers are gearing up to play the Vanderbilt Commodores on November 29. There’s a lot riding on this one—Tennessee’s hoping to snag a better bowl, while Vanderbilt has their sights set on their first-ever College Football Playoff berth.
Knox News took a creative approach and ran 100 simulations of the game using EA Sports College Football 26. Curious about what those digital matchups revealed? Let’s get into the weeds of it.
EA Sports Simulations: Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
For the simulations, Knox News tried to make things as realistic as possible. They set the kickoff for 3:30 p.m. under partly cloudy skies. Tennessee comes in ranked No. 18 at 8-3, and they’re just barely favored over No. 12 Vanderbilt, who’s sitting at 9-2.
The average score across all those simulated games? Tennessee 29, Vanderbilt 26. Not exactly a blowout either way.
Simulation Results
Out of 100 tries, Tennessee won 57 times. Vanderbilt took 43. That’s a pretty tight spread, honestly.
Almost half the games—43, to be exact—were decided by a touchdown or less. Four even went to overtime, with Tennessee pulling out the win in three of those.
Key Statistics from the Simulations:
- Tennessee average yards: 131 rushing, 262 passing, 494 total
- Vanderbilt average yards: 131 rushing, 267 passing, 499 total
- Turnovers: Tennessee 85, Vanderbilt 99
Implications for Both Teams
This isn’t just another rivalry game. For Vanderbilt, a win could be their ticket to the College Football Playoff for the first time.
If Tennessee comes out on top, it could mean a trip to a bigger bowl—maybe the Citrus, ReliaQuest, or Gator Bowl. Stakes are high, no question.
Biggest Wins and Closest Games
The simulations had some wild swings. Here are a few standouts:
- Biggest Tennessee win: 53-7
- Biggest Vanderbilt win: 49-14
- Closest games: 36-35 (Tennessee), 28-27 (Vanderbilt), 23-22 (Vanderbilt)
- Highest scoring game: 48-46 (Tennessee in OT)
- Lowest scoring game: 16-13 (Vanderbilt)
Historical Accuracy of EA Sports Predictions
One thing to keep in mind: these EA Sports College Football 26 simulations have been eerily on point this season. Knox News used them to call Tennessee’s losses to Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma, and all those picks ended up right.
Given that track record, it’s hard not to give a little extra weight to the prediction that Tennessee edges out Vanderbilt in this one.
Final Thoughts
The Tennessee Volunteers are getting ready to host the Vanderbilt Commodores. Both teams have a lot riding on this one.
Simulations point to a tight contest, with Tennessee having just a slight advantage. Honestly, it feels like anything could happen—fans might be in for a nail-biter.
If you want more details or plan to keep up with the action, check out the full article on Knox News.
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