Vanderbilt Football Notes: All aboard the bandwagon

Chris Nickson and Vanderbilt take on Auburn in a huge SEC clash on Saturday. File

Everyone, it seems, loves a winner.

Vanderbilt’s surprising 4-0 start and surge to No. 19 in the latest national polls has created a rare and palpable buzz on campus as the Commodores prepare to host No. 13 Auburn on Saturday.

Lofty rankings, scarce tickets, national attention and the arrival of ESPN’s College GameDay show this week have many jumping on the VU bandwagon.

“Around the community, everyone is like, ‘Go Vandy, go Vandy,’” wide receiver Sean Walker said. “I feel like, ‘OK, where were these people before we were 4-0?’”

Don’t misunderstand. The Commodores still welcome all fans, even those of the Johnny-come-lately variety.

“That’s fine. Come out if you want to come out,” kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt said. “We won’t hate you. I’ll take your support.”

For Hahnfeldt, a Nashville native and Montgomery Bell Academy graduate, watching Vanderbilt fans appear out of the woodwork has been satisfying.

“We’re the little guy, the underdog or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “It seemed like an uphill fight against the Tennessee fans, but that all started to change in my freshman year when we beat them. Things are starting to change.”

INJURY REPORT: Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said Monday senior quarterback Chris Nickson should be ready to play Saturday despite sustaining a shoulder sprain in a Sept. 20 victory at Ole Miss.

Nickson left that game early in the third quarter and didn’t return.

“I’m feeling pretty good. Decent,” he said. “I still feel a few aches and pains here and there, but I do have the ability to throw.”

Asked if he expects to play Saturday, Nickson was less than certain.

“I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen or if I’ll be playing or not,” he said. “The coaches will make the best decision they feel for the team.”

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt is eagerly anticipating the return of senior wide receiver George Smith and senior running back Jeff Jennings on Saturday.

Smith has not played this season since undergoing surgery in August to repair a foot fracture. Jennings hasn’t played since the Aug. 28 season-opener at Miami (Ohio) due to a shoulder injury. Both are among VU’s most experienced players.

“How effective they’re going to be after being out that long is anybody’s guess,” Johnson said. “They’ve been practicing fairly well, and it will be nice to have those guys back in there.”

Smith was the team’s leading returning receiver entering this season after catching 32 passes in 2007.

“It opens up the passing game for us as well as the blocking game,” Nickson said of Smith’s return. “He’s a tremendous player. It opens up the opportunity for us to get the ball in the air a little more.”

FALSE ADVERTISING?: While Vanderbilt is ranked at its highest position since 1984, Johnson said rankings this early in a season don’t accurately reflect the nation’s 25 best teams.

“Probably not, even though I think we’ve played a pretty tough schedule,” he said. “I’m very pleased with what we’re doing. I just want to do more of it and not worry about what we’ve done.”

Vanderbilt (4-0) vs. Auburn (4-1)

5 p.m. Saturday

Vanderbilt Stadium

TV – ESPN