Vanderbilt Commodores football

Vanderbilt has won 14 conference championships, with six shared and eight won outright.

† Co-champions

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt 2007

Vanderbilt and Tennessee have played 117 times since 1892 , Tennessee leads the series 79–33-5.[18] When the rivalry first started Vanderbilt dominated by taking 19 of the first 24 with 3 ties. But from 1928 to 2022 however, Tennessee has dominated going 77–14–2 against Vanderbilt. 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.[19]

Georgia Vanderbilt 2011

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 60-20–2 through the 2022 season.[20]

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

Vanderbilt and Ole Miss have played 92 times since 1894.[21] Ole Miss leads the series 51-39-2.[21] 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.

Having started in 1896, the Kentucky-Vanderbilt football series has been played annually since 1953.[22] The two are divisional opponents in the SEC East. The series, which rotates between Nashville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky, is led by Kentucky at 48-42–4 with the average score being Vanderbilt 16.9-Kentucky 15.6.[23]

The Commodores first met the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 1892 in Atlanta, Georgia with Vanderbilt winning 20–10.[24] Since 1924, the winning team in the series has received a silver-plated cowbell with the year and final score of each game engraved on it. The trophy was created by Ed F. Cavaleri, who was described by the Atlanta Constitution as “a faithful Georgia Tech supporter though he did not attend the Jacket institution,” according to Georgia Tech's website. Cavaleri purchased a cowbell at an Atlanta hardware store to use as a noise-maker while on his way to a game in 1924. The Commodores defeated Georgia Tech 3–0, however another fan in attendance suggested that Cavaleri award the bell to the winning team. The tradition was born and Cavaleri attended every game between the two teams from 1924 to 1967.[25] The cowbell has a gold plate screwed into each side, with “GEORGIA TECH-VANDERBILT FOOTBALL TROPHY” inscribed at the top. Three columns list the year of each game, Vanderbilt’s points scored and Georgia Tech’s points scored. The results of the games from 1924 to 1967 are engraved on one side; the results from 2002, 2003, 2009 and 2016 are on the other.[26] Vanderbilt is 15–20-3 against Georgia Tech in 38 games. The Commodores lost the last matchup 38–7 in 2016.

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;[27] dating back to 1891 when Vanderbilt played its second football game. Vanderbilt leads the series 40–8–4.[28] 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 and are unlikely to anytime soon as Sewanee plays in NCAA Division III.

Vanderbilt Commodore football personnel have been inducted into the National Football Foundation's National College Football Hall of Fame.[29]

Vanderilt has had seven consensus All-Americans in their history. In 2016, Zach Cunningham became the first unanimous All-American in Vanderbilt's history.[30]

Vanderbilt Commodores personnel, including coaches and players, have received recognition from the Southeastern Conference for their performances on the football field.[29]

Five Vanderbilt players have been awarded Most Valuable Player, with three of them being awarded over a six year span to Commodores.

One Vanderbilt player has won Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Two players have won Freshman of the Year while at Vanderbilt.

One Commodore has won Best Blocker, doing so twice.

Five Vanderbilt coaches have won Coach of the Year honors over the past century.

From 1992 to 2023, Vanderbilt played in the East Division of the SEC and played each opponent in the division each year along with several teams from the West Division. The SEC will expand the conference to 16 teams and will eliminate its two divisions in 2024, causing a new scheduling format for the Commodores to play against the other members of the conference.[31] Only the 2024 conference schedule was announced on June 14, 2023, while the conference still considers a new format for the future.[32]

Announced schedules as of April 26, 2020[33]

No games are scheduled for the 2030 and 2031 seasons.