It's only Wednesday, but the LSU Tigers already have plenty of bulletin board material for Saturday's matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The battle between the 10th-ranked Tigers and 17th-ranked Commodores is arguably the most intriguing matchup of the weekend, and fireworks are already flying days before the game begins.
For the first time since 1948, LSU is an underdog against Vanderbilt. Vegas oddsmakers don't trust the Tigers to walk out of Nashville with a win, as the Commodores are favored by 2.5 points. It's the first time in 51 games that Vanderbilt is favored over an SEC team, and the first time since 1978 that Vandy is favored over a top-10 team. But the fuel for LSU doesn't stop there. One Vanderbilt player has given the Tigers an extra dose of bulletin board material.
Vanderbilt defensive lineman gives LSU bulletin board material
Vanderbilt defensive lineman Zaylin Wood has plenty of faith in the Commodore defense. When asked about going up against LSU's offense, Wood didn't hold back. "I have so much trust in our defense. We're itching for a shutout," Woods said.
Vanderbilt defensive lineman Zaylin Wood on Vanderbilt’s defense against LSU’s offense:
— Graham Baakko (@GrahamBaakko) October 14, 2025
“I have so much trust in our defense. We’re itching for a shutout.”
That should fire the Tigers up.
Vanderbilt hasn't shut out an opponent since the 2012 season, when they defeated Kentucky 40-0. LSU's offense has had its struggles this season, but hasn't been close to getting shutout. The offense is trending in the right direction, as the Tigers are coming off their most complete offensive game of the season against South Carolina. The running game totaled a season-high 166 yards and 5.5 yards per carry, and Garrett Nussmeier is getting healthier. There's still a lot to improve on, but this message from Wood should fuel the fire of the LSU offense even more.
It's also worth mentioning that on paper, it's LSU that has the defensive advantage - not Vanderbilt. The Vanderbilt defense ranks 62nd in the country with a stop rate of 62.3%. For comparison, LSU ranks 4th in the country with a stop rate of 80%. Furthermore, Vanderbilt is allowing 2.13 points per drive while LSU is allowing 1.11.
Among 16 SEC teams, Vanderbilt ranks 10th in points per game allowed (19.3), 12th in passing yards per game allowed (222.7), 5th in rushing yards per game allowed (90.7), and 9th in total yards per game allowed (313.3). That's a bit of a mixed bag, and isn't exactly dominant. The Vandy defense is also coming off its two worst games of the season. They have allowed 30+ points in each of their last two games, giving up 35 points to Utah State and 30 to Alabama.