Joel Klatt Reveals Reason Vanderbilt Fans are More Committed Than In-State Rivals This Season

The Vanderbilt Commodores were on top of the college football world after knocking off the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in Nashville. Their fans celebrated accordingly by taking goalposts from FirstBank Stadium through Broadway and throwing them into the Cumberland River.

The celebrations in Nashville were similar to how fans of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrated their 52-49 win over Alabama in 2022. Volunteer fans took the goalposts and threw them into the Tennessee River, whose banks are behind Neyland Stadium.

The in-state hatred between Tennessee and Vanderbilt runs deep, playing each other annually in college football since 1892.

However, on a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," Joel Klatt was more impressed with Vanderbilt fans' celebration than Tennessee's due to the distance the Commodore faithful carried the goalposts. The distance from FirstBank Stadium to the Cumberland River is nearly three miles.

Klatt believed Vanderbilt set the bar high and wanted to see how far Tennessee fans would take the goalposts if the Volunteers beat Alabama in Week 8.

"Incredible game that we saw in Knoxville a couple years ago in 2022," Klatt said. "The 52-49 win for Tennessee. They carried the goalposts out. They threw them in the river. Although, credit Vandy's fans. Vandy fans actually walked like three miles with the goalposts. They didn't just walk outside the stadium and throw it in the river. Listen to me, Tennessee fans. Vandy fans are more committed. ...If you win this weekend, let me see what you got. How far can you take the goalposts?"

Vanderbilt is 4-2 heading into Week 8 and is chasing its first bowl appearance since 2018. The Commodores take on Ball State at 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ and ESPN+, while Tennessee faces Alabama at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

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