Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium
Nashville, Tennessee, is home to one of the most prestigious schools in the South, as well as one of the more competitive programs in the Southeastern Conference: The Vanderbilt Commodores. The Commodores play on campus at Vanderbilt Stadium, which seats 40,550 and originally opened as Dudley Field in 1922 before being almost completely rebuilt in 1981. They are coached by Derek Mason, who has led the Commodores to bowl appearances in 2016 and 2018 after replacing James Franklin before the 2014 season.
Vanderbilt Commodores Football History
Both VU's name and its athletic program's nickname pay tribute to railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made the initial $1 million endowment for the school in 1873. Vanderbilt University first fielded a football team in 1890, and won 11 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association and two Southern Conference titles before joining the SEC as a charter member in 1932. The Commodores were a powerhouse in Southern football in the early 20th century, led by coach Dan McGugin from 1904 to 1917 and from 1919 to 1934. Vanderbilt University is the only private school in the Southeastern Conference, and also has the smallest enrollment, but has held its own on the field and off of it. James Franklin's run as head coach from 2011 to 2013 saw Vanderbilt win nine games in a season twice in a row for the first time in their history, in 2012 and 2013, before Franklin left to become the head coach at Penn State.
Vanderbilt has many fierce rivalries, including fellow SEC East foes Georgia and Kentucky, as well as inter-divisional rival Ole Miss. The Commodores' rivalry against the Tennessee Volunteers dates to 1892, and with victories over the Vols in 2016, 2017 and 2018, Vanderbilt achieved their longest winning streak against UT since the 1920s. Vanderbilt also once had a spirited rivalry against Sewanee, Many notable NFL players have played for the Commodores, including veteran quarterback Jay Cutler, Houston Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham and wide receivers Earl Bennent and Jordan Matthews.