NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt has 18 Georgians on its roster, and it is fair to assume that a good number of their family members made the drive north for Saturday’s SEC opener.

Otherwise, everyone else on the I-75/I-24 route this afternoon had some sort of official NCAA Bulldog merchandise dangling from their rides.

Sure enough, when the game began, the stands at Vanderbilt Stadium were awash in Georgia red. This wasn’t just a small Bulldog incursion; it was an outright hostile takeover. The visitors appeared to hold the majority of the house.

Sort of felt like a Braves-Cubs game at Turner Field, with the place being more Chicago than a five-pound deep dish pizza.

Such is hazard of both being within easy driving distance of the highly mobile and motivated Georgia base while suffering through a bleak down time at home.

The Commodores are still looking for their first SEC victory under second-year coach Derek Mason. They opened last week at home with a loss to Western Kentucky, before an announced audience of 30,307.

Saturday, most hospitably, they opened their doors wide to all Georgia fans who cared to visit. Put an asterisk next to this one on the schedule – the Bulldogs really have eight home games this season.