After they beat Virginia Tech and West Virginia earlier in the year, many thought that East Carolina would be college football’s Cinderella team this season. But apparently the slipper fit better on Vanderbilt.

Thanks to a huge win over conference rival Auburn on Saturday, the Commodores are 5-0 for the first time since World War II. And only are they ranked 14th in the nation now, but some even believe they can win the SEC this season.

Vanderbilt1. That Vandy could win the SEC East.
I know, I know. You’re going to say I’m getting “caught up in the hype,” perhaps hypnotized by what had to be the headiest set of signs in GameDay history (“What’s worse: Auburn’s offense or the economy?”). Yes, the Commodores barely squeaked by an Auburn squad with that aforementioned anemic offense. Yes, they only gained 263 yards of their own (albeit with their backup quarterback leading the way.) But have you seen the rest of Vandy’s schedule?

The ‘Dores are 3-0 in the SEC and play at least two more teams — Mississippi State and Tennessee — they should beat (when’s the last time you could say that?) The other three are Georgia, Florida and Kentucky. Vandy’s probably not going to win in Athens — but Georgia’s probably going to lose another conference game. The Kentucky game is a toss-up. That leaves Florida in Nashville. The ‘Dores nearly beat the Gators in both 2005 and ’06, and this team, unlike those Vandy squads, doesn’t fold, outscoring foes 58-10 in the second half. Anything’s possible.

It has been an amazing ride so far for Vandy and personally, I hope it continues. For years they’ve been the whipping boys in the SEC and finally they’ve given their fans a contender. Sure, a lot of their success has come because of a very opportunistic defense (they lead the nation in turnover margin), but good teams find ways to make their own breaks. They’re exciting to watch and it’ll be interesting to see if the Commodores are really this good or if it’s all hype.