The Vanderbilt Commodores are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams, 14 of which compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Vanderbilt's women's lacrosse team plays in the American Athletic Conference. The bowling team plays in Conference USA (C-USA), which absorbed Vanderbilt's former bowling home of the Southland Bowling League after the 2022–23 season. The University of Tennessee Volunteers are Vanderbilt's primary athletic rival, and the only other SEC team in Tennessee.
Jay Christopher Cutler is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is the franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions.
William James Wade was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest athletes in Nashville and Vanderbilt University history. Wade is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. He is best known for being the starting quarterback on the Chicago Bears' 1963 NFL championship team.
Stephen Charles Sloan is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons (1966–1967). Sloan served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University (1973–1974), Texas Tech University (1975–1977), the University of Mississippi (1978–1982), and Duke University (1983–1986), compiling a career record of 68–86–3. He also served as the athletic director at the University of Alabama, the University of North Texas, University of Central Florida, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before his retirement in 2006. In 2000, Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Terence Lee McDaniel is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), mostly with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers football, and was selected in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft with the ninth overall pick.
Earl Bryan Bennett is a former American football wide receiver who is currently the director of player development at Vanderbilt. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Vanderbilt.
Robert Alan Johnson is a retired American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Vanderbilt University, a position he held from the 2002 season until his retirement in 2010. In December 2001, Johnson became the Commodores' head coach, after leading Furman University to the NCAA Division I-AA national championship game. He coached the Paladins between 1994 and 2001, leading the team to a 60–36 overall record during his eight years. Prior to his hiring at Furman, Johnson was the defensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers. In 2008, Johnson led Vanderbilt to its first winning season since 1982. His team went 7–6 with a 16–14 win over Boston College in the Music City Bowl, Vanderbilt's first bowl victory since 1955 and only their second in school history at the time.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are the men's and women's athletic teams at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MT athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I in Conference USA. MT competed in the Ohio Valley Conference until 2000, and the Sun Belt Conference until 2013.
The 1974 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The Commodores scored 313 points while allowing 199 points. Led by head coach Steve Sloan, the Commodores had their best record since 1955 and appeared in the school's second bowl game. Vanderbilt did not return to a bowl game until 1982.
The 1975 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The team was led by head coach Fred Pancoast, who replaced Steve Sloan. In 1974, Sloan had led Vanderbilt to a bowl game for the first time since 1955, before leaving to become head coach at Texas Tech, the team Vanderbilt had faced in the Peach Bowl to close the season. The Vanderbilt squad finished the season with a record of 7–4, but was not invited to a bowl game. Three of the Commodores's four defeats came by margins of more than 30 points while all seven of their victors were by ten or fewer points.
Derek Mason is an American college football coach. Mason served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University from 2014 until midway through the 2020 season.
The 2004 Tennessee Volunteers represented the University of Tennessee in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Playing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Eastern Division, the team was led by head coach Phillip Fulmer, in his twelfth full year, and played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. They finished the season with a record of ten wins and three losses, as the SEC Eastern Division champions and as champions of the Cotton Bowl Classic after they defeated Texas A&M.
The 2004 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented the Vanderbilt University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Commodores offense scored 212 points while the defense allowed 268 points. Led by head coach Bobby Johnson in his third year as the head coach, the Commodores finished with a 2–9 record.
The Tennessee–Vanderbilt football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores. They are both founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Vanderbilt and Tennessee have played 117 times since 1892. Tennessee leads the all-time series 79–33–5.
The Vanderbilt Commodores football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Vanderbilt Commodores football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, Single season and career leaders. The Commodores represent Vanderbilt University in the NCAA's Southeastern Conference.
The 2016 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field in Nashville, Tennessee and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by third-year head coach Derek Mason. This was Vanderbilt's 126th season of college football. They finished the season 6–7, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Division. They were invited to the Independence Bowl where they lost to NC State.
The Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University in the sport of American football.
The 2017 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee and compete in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by fourth-year head coach Derek Mason. The team earned a final record of 5–7 in a season notable for wins against Kansas State, then in the top 20, and Tennessee, but also for sizeable losses against SEC opponents Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri. The Tennessee win at Neyland Stadium was the Commodores' fourth in six games, a feat unequaled by VU in that rivalry since 1926.
Kyle Shurmur is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played quarterback in college football at Vanderbilt, and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
