Once every two years, Vanderbilt Stadium takes on a decided orange tint. Saturday is time to test that phenomenon again.

Tennessee football fans tend to swamp Vanderbilt’s cozy, 39,773-seat stadium when the Vols (3-7, 1-5 SEC) visit Nashville every other season. Some UT zealots even buy Vanderbilt season tickets just for the one game.

It’s officially a home game for the Commodores, but just another chance to sing “Rocky Top” for the Vols — UT has won 12 straight games at Vanderbilt and 19 of the past 21.

This year, however, the color scheme will be put to a test by a reversal of fortunes for both sides in a rivalry that dates to 1892.

The Commodores (6-4, 4-3) are bowl eligible for the first time since 1982.

Furthermore, they’re a slight favorite in a 12:30 p.m. kickoff (TV: WVLT) to beat a Tennessee team that is playing out the string under lame-duck coach Phillip Fulmer.

“I hope we’ve got a huge black and gold advantage in our stadium,’’ Vandy coach Bobby Johnson said. “That’s a great advantage for teams to come in our stadium and bring a crowd.

“Certainly, Tennessee fans support their team as good as any. I don’t know any way to predict that.’’

Johnson is concerned about Vandy’s students leaving for the Thanksgiving break. Sure enough, 2,000 tickets were made available to the public this week.

“I hope our fans step up and support us,’’ Johnson said.

And to what degree will Tennessee fans support a team that is in danger of an historic eighth loss in a season?

Fulmer and his staff, meanwhile, are more concerned with a well-coached opponent than the crowd.

“Since Bobby’s been there,’’ said Fulmer, “they’ve done a really good job on defense.

“They’re a defensive team that’s very sound and really makes you work at moving the football.’’

Johnson is finishing his seventh year at Vanderbilt. Seven of the nine assistants have been with him the entire time.

“They do as good a job of coaching as anyone in this league, no question,’’ said UT defensive coordinator John Chavis said. “They’re a hard-nosed, physical team and that reflects their coaches.’’

If Johnson hasn’t exactly turned the Vandy-UT series on its ear — he’s 1-5 against the Vols — he has at least made it interesting again.

Vanderbilt didn’t even score against UT for three consecutive years, 2001-2003. The Vols won by a combined 100-0. That includes Johnson’s first two Vandy teams.

Three of the four games since, however, have each been decided by less than a touchdown’s difference. The 2005 game in Knoxville was decided in Vanderbilt’s favor, 28-24, snapping a 22-year losing streak to Tennessee.

The Vols squeaked by last year, 25-24, when Vandy’s game-winning field-goal try deflected off an upright, wide left.

“We’re certainly in better shape than we were when we first got here as a staff, as far as competing with them,’’ Johnson said.

Dave Clawson, UT’s first-year offensive coordinator, doesn’t need a crash course on Vandy. He played them two of his past three seasons as head coach at Richmond, losing 37-13 in 2005 and 41-17 in 2007.

Thus, he’s already acquainted with a defense that has 16 interceptions, second best in the SEC, and 27 sacks, which ties for the league lead.

“Vanderbilt has played good defense for a number of years,’’ Clawson said. “This isn’t anything new.’’

What is new is Vandy being bowl eligible. The Commodores have the briefest of bowl histories: 1955, 1974 and 1982.

Since ‘82, Vandy has kicked off against Tennessee six times needing to close with a win to get bowl eligible. The ’Dores went 0-6.

However, they took care of business last week with a 31-24 win at Kentucky. Beating UT, or Wake Forest next week, only improves their standing in the SEC bowl pecking order.

“That took a little weight off our shoulders,’’ Johnson said, “especially our players that hear so much about it.’’

Now the suspense is whether Vandy’s fans come out Saturday to celebrate, or whether the orange invasion takes place on schedule.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.