The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Check out our college football odds series for our Hawaii Vanderbilt prediction and pick. Find how to watch Hawaii Vanderbilt.

The Vanderbilt Commodores made some definite forward strides in 2022 under coach Clark Lea. They snapped a 26-game SEC losing streak by winning on the road in Lexington against the Kentucky Wildcats. A game that had slipped away from VU many times over the previous several seasons was captured this time around. Vanderbilt showed newfound toughness and poise, responding to Lea's fresh leadership and encouragement. Vanderbilt made very good use of that win at Kentucky, though, because it didn't just stay there. That wasn't an isolated occurrence in 2022. The Commodores built on that moment by then beating the Florida Gators and quarterback Anthony Richardson, who — as everyone knows — became a top-five pick in this year's NFL draft. Vanderbilt didn't make a bowl game, but it also didn't drift aimlessly through a lost season. There was real progress in 2022, and now Lea enters 2023 with real optimism that he can do something meaningful in Nashville.

Here are the Hawaii-Vanderbilt College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Hawaii-Vanderbilt Odds

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors: +17.5 (-115)

Vanderbilt Commodores: -17.5 (-105)

Over: 55.5 (-110)

Under: 55.5 (-110)

How To Watch Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt

TV: SEC Network

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

*Watch Hawaii vs Vanderbilt LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*

Why Hawaii Could Cover the Spread

The Rainbow Warriors are going up against a Vanderbilt team which still has a lot to prove and still isn't a safe bet to become a bowl-eligible team. There's a chance, but it's hardly a sure thing. Vanderbilt had its share of moments in the 2022 season, but one could make the very reasonable point that those two SEC wins against Kentucky and Florida were much more the product of UK and UF struggling than anything Vanderbilt did especially well. Vanderbilt earned those wins, but the point of emphasis is that Kentucky and Florida both went through some very rough times last season and face significant roster questions entering the new season. Vanderbilt might not have discovered something amazingly wonderful; VU's SEC opponents might have regressed. That is definitely something to take into consideration here. Hawaii can lose to Vanderbilt by 17 and still cover the spread. That's a lot of points.

Why Vanderbilt Could Cover the Spread

Vanderbilt — in its 2022 season opener, several weeks before the breakthrough wins over Kentucky and Florida — beat Hawaii on the road by 53 points, 63-10. If Vanderbilt could crush Hawaii on the road before it snapped its long and burdensome SEC losing streak, it can certainly beat Hawaii by a hefty margin at home this year. Vanderbilt doesn't have to win by 53, either. If it wins by merely 18 points, it covers. That seems more than doable for a team which clearly improved over the course of the 2022 season.

Final Hawaii-Vanderbilt Prediction & Pick

It is hard to ignore the 53-point margin of last year's game. Even if Hawaii improves by 35 points relative to 2022, it still won't cover the spread against Vanderbilt. Clark Lea has definitely improved the Vanderbilt program in his few years on the job. He has earned the confidence and trust of his players, and that should flow into this season opener. Players should be cohesive, confident, and very clear about what they want to do. That should lead to a decisive win over Hawaii. Take Vanderbilt.

Final Hawaii-Vanderbilt Prediction & Pick: Vanderbilt -17.5