Vanderbilt Commodores football

Head coaching history

Adopting the nickname the Commodores after the 1897 season, the team has played in 1,250 games over 126 seasons. In that time, six coaches have led the Commodores to a postseason bowl appearance: Art Guepe, Steve Sloan, George MacIntyre, Bobby Johnson, James Franklin and Derek Mason. Four have led them to a conference championship: R. G. Acton, W. H. Watkins, James H. Henry, and Dan McGugin. McGugin is the leader in seasons coached and games won, with 198 victories during his thirty years at Vanderbilt. He was awarded two National Championships retroactively by Clyde Berryman.

Of the twenty-eight different head coaches who have led the Commodores, McGugin, Ray Morrison, Henry Russell Sanders, and Bill Edwards have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The current head coach is Derek Mason.

Ole Miss

Ole Miss is Vanderbilt's cross-divisional rival in the SEC.

Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have played 87 times since 1894. Ole Miss leads the series 50–38–2. The largest margin of victory was by 91 points won by Vanderbilt in 1915. Vanderbilt also holds the longest win streaks in the series (18) from 1894 to 1938.

Georgia

Having started in 1893, the Georgia-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1968. The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Athens, Georgia, stands with Georgia leading 55–19–2

Kentucky

Having started in 1896, the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1953. The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, is tied at 42–42–4 with the average score being Vanderbilt 17-Kentucky 15.6.

Tennessee

Vanderbilt and Tennessee have played 107 times since 1892 , Tennessee leads the series 75–30–5. When the rivalry first started Vanderbilt dominated by taking 19 of the first 24 with 3 ties. After 1928, UT has dominated the rivalry with a record of Vanderbilt 71–11–2. The largest margin of victory for Vanderbilt was by 76 points in 1918 at Old Dudley Field in Nashville. (Vanderbilt 76, Tennessee 0) The largest defeat was 65 points in 1994 at Vanderbilt Stadium (Tennessee 65, Vanderbilt 0). The longest win streaks for Vanderbilt is (9) from 1901 to 1913. The longest win streak for Tennessee is 22, from 1983 to 2004.

Sewanee

Vanderbilt and the Sewanee Tigers were both founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), the Southern Conference, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). It is the oldest of Vanderbilt's rivalries; dating back to 1891 when Vanderbilt played its second football game. Vanderbilt leads the series 40–8–4. The largest margin of victory was in 1905 when Vanderbilt won 68–4. Usually played towards the end of the season on Thanksgiving Day, the two teams have not met again since 1944.

Bowl games

Vanderbilt has a record of 4–3–1 in bowl games.

Vanderbilt series records – Vs. Current D1 Teams

SEC Opponents in bold

Recruiting

Vanderbilt Commodores Football Scout.com team recruiting rankings:

College Football Hall of Fame

Vanderbilt Commodore football personnel have been inducted into the National Football Foundation's National College Football Hall of Fame.

Coaches

Jess Neely never coached at Vanderbilt.

Consensus All-American

2016 Zach Cunningham became the first unanimous All-American in Vanderbilt football history

Conference recognition

Vanderbilt Commodores personnel, including coaches and players, have received recognition from the Southeastern Conference for their performances on the football field.

Commodores currently in the NFL

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Future opponents

Announced schedules as of January 12, 2016

Non-division opponents

Vanderbilt plays Ole Miss as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the West division among the other six schools.

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of March 3, 2017
Note: all the games subject to change.