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 professional 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 was an American professional football player who became a college football coach and athletics administrator. He played in college as a quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then spent two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Atlanta Falcons (1966–1967). Sloan then returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach (1968-1970), and then served one year each as an offensive coordinator at Florida State (1971) and Georgia Tech (1972). At Florida State he was on the staff with linebackers coach Bill Parcells. Sloan then got his first head coaching job at Vanderbilt University (1973–1974), where he brought Parcells with him, and at his next job at Texas Tech University (1975–1977), he made Parcells the defensive coordinator. Sloan then went on to the University of Mississippi (1978–1982), and Duke University (1983–1986), compiling a career record of 68–86–3. He returned to Vanderbilt to serve as offensive coordinator for one year (1990) before retiring from coaching. He also served as the athletic director at the University of Alabama (1987-1989), the University of North Texas (1991-1993), University of Central Florida (1993-2002), and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (2002-2006), before his retirement in 2006. In 2000, Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. He died on April 14, 2024, at the age of 79.
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 an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was selected by the Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. After his playing career, he became the director of player development at Vanderbilt.
Jerod Mayo Sr. is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played with the Patriots for eight seasons. Mayo played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Patriots tenth overall in the 2008 NFL draft.
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.
Tyler Ian Bray is a former American football quarterback. After playing his college football at the University of Tennessee, he declared himself eligible for the 2013 NFL draft, in which he went undrafted. He spent five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Chicago Bears.
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 who is currently the head football coach for Middle Tennessee State University. He previously served as head coach at Vanderbilt University from 2014 to 2020.
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.
Jeremy Pruitt is an American football coach who most recently was a senior defensive assistant for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach at the University of Tennessee from 2018 to 2020 and defensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 2016 to 2017, University of Georgia from 2014 to 2015, and Florida State University in 2013.
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 78–33–5.
Derek Anthony Barnett is an American professional football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
The Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University in the sport of American football.
Brenton James Pry is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at Virginia Tech. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at Penn State from 2016 to 2021. He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls.
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.
