A rematch of last year’s shellacking, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors come way east to take on Vanderbilt in an interesting Week 0 contest. The Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt prediction and full betting previews shed light on what to expect from Timmy Chang and Clark Lea’s groups this weekend.
Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt Betting Preview
- Spread
Vanderbilt (-16) - Moneyline
Vanderbilt (-1000); Hawaii (+650) - Over/Under
55.5 total points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN - Predicted Weather at Kick
88 degrees, isolated thunderstorms, 7-8 mph winds - How to Watch
FuboTV, Fox Sports 1
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
All values below come from FanDuel’s multi-team entries for the weekend. For each team’s depth chart:
Hawaii Depth Chart | Vanderbilt Depth Chart
- QB AJ Swann, Vanderbilt ($10,000)
- QB Brayden Schager, Hawaii ($7.200)
- RB Patrick Smith, Vanderbilt ($8,400)
- RB Chase Gillespie, Vanderbilt ($7,300)
- RB Sedrick Alexander, Vanderbilt ($6,500)
- RB Tylan Hines, Hawaii ($5,900)
- WR Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt ($8,500)
- WR Quincy Skinner Jr., Vanderbilt ($6,700)
- WR Jonah Panoke, Hawaii ($6,400)
- WR Jalen Walthall, Hawaii ($6,000)
- WR Jayden McGowan, Vanderbilt ($5,800)
- WR Gamarion Carter, Vanderbilt ($5,500)
- WR Koali Nishigaya, Hawaii ($5,300)
- WR Chucky Hines, Hawaii ($5,100)
- WR Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen, Hawaii ($5,000)
- WR Steven McBride, Hawaii ($5,000)
- TE Steven Fiso, Hawaii ($5,000)
- TE Justin Ball, San Jose State ($4,600)
It’s the second season of the new-old era of Hawaii football. With Chang leading the way, it’s expected that the Warriors look more and more like their old run-n-shoot ways before too long.
However, before they’re flying high over SEC defenses in the passing game, it’ll take more than just 15 months on the job for Chang and Co. Vanderbilt’s defense is nowhere near the top of any statistical or analytical realm of the SEC, but they’re still enough to limit Hawaii’s best options in the passing game, except one.
The best play from this game for your DFS slate does come on the Hawaii offense, but it’s no receiver.
Tylan Hines was a menace to opposing defenses a season ago, rushing for 7.8 yards per carry as he found his stride down the stretch.
Hawaii targets its receivers heavily, even in this new offense, and with Dedrick Parson gone, expect Hines to slide right into the role that saw him receive 30+ targets a year ago.
On the ground, Hines achieved 10 or more yards on 22.5% of his carries, a top-five mark in the country while Vandy’s defense allowed 10+ yards on 14.6% of carries a year ago. Hines has the high-end play of a low-priced back, and his place in your lineup allows you the top-tier options at other, more premium positions this weekend.
Will Sheppard is always in play for Vanderbilt as well. He’s been targeted over nine times a game since 2021, the second-highest rate in the country in that period. Sheppard will get his chances in this game.
Prediction for Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt
It should be remembered that Hawaii jumped out to a 10-0 lead on Vanderbilt last season in Week 0. The Hawaii offense has plenty of wrinkles to throw at the Commodores and more than enough skill players to keep bodies fresh against an SEC defense.
However, it should also be remembered that Vanderbilt ran off 63 unanswered points against the Warriors in the same outing. Hawaii did a good job of replenishing their defense and adding talent through the transfer portal, Cam Stone is indicative of that.
Still, they’re a few years short of competing for four quarters with any SEC team, even the Vandy, who firmly lands in the double-digits of our SEC Power Rankings this year.
This is a pretty comfortable line for Vanderbilt, even with the growth at Hawaii. Opening this game at home, they should get off to a fast start as opposed to last year’s embarrassing first quarter.
The chances of a back-door cover are there for Hawaii, but Vanderbilt’s two-deep is just as talented as Hawaii’s ones. They should be able to obtain an early lead and hold it in front of their home crowd.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 41, Hawaii 16
