Langston Patterson on Vanderbilt vs Tennessee rivalry: 'I grew up with that hatred for the Vols'

Langston Patterson grew up hating Tennessee football. But it wasn't because of a connection with Vanderbilt.

"My dad actually played football at Alabama," Patterson said Tuesday. "So we've always kind of not liked the Vols around our house. I grew up with that hatred for the Vols."

Now, Patterson and his brother Kane, both Vanderbilt linebackers, have the chance to face Tennessee head-to-head.

While both brothers played in the game against the Vols a year ago, both should see a much larger role Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, SEC Network). Kane is listed atop the depth chart for the game at WILL linebacker and Langston is second at the MIKE spot after primarily playing special teams a year ago. For Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7 SEC), the game is much more than a rivalry matchup − it's also the last chance to get an SEC win this season.

The Patterson brothers, who played locally at Christ Presbyterian Academy, also know several players for Tennessee (7-4, 3-4). Vols linebacker Caleb Williams played at CPA with the brothers.

Coach Clark Lea is also familiar with the rivalry tradition, having both played and coached with the Commodores.

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"This goes back for me when I was a kid," Lea said. " ... This week is special. ... Any time you're talking about a spirited game and a game that has emotional connection, it's a great opportunity as a team to to go east and to play our best and that's what I expect."

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football's Langston Patterson grew up hating Tennessee Vols