2025 Vanderbilt Commodores football team


The 2025 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University as a member of the Southeastern Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores were led by Clark Lea in his fifth year as their head coach. The Commodores played their home games at FirstBank Stadium located in Nashville, Tennessee.
After defeating No. 11 [2025 2025 South Carolina Gamecocks football team|South Carolina Gamecocks football team|South Carolina] 31–7, Vanderbilt started 3–0 for the first time since 2017 and beat South Carolina for the first time since 2008, snapping a 16-game losing streak to the Gamecocks. This marked the first season since 1930 that Vanderbilt won each of their first three games by over 20 points. Vanderbilt's 70–21 victory over [2025 2025 Georgia State Panthers football team|Georgia State Panthers football team|Georgia State] marked the most points scored in a game by Vanderbilt since 1918. A 55–35 win over [2025 2025 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State] marked Vanderbilt's first 5–0 start since 2008.
Vanderbilt appeared on College GameDay against No. 10 [2025 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama], Vanderbilt's first GameDay appearance since 2008 and second all-time. The lone prior GameDay appearance was a 14–13 upset win over [2008 2008 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn]. Despite this, the Crimson Tide avenged their stunning loss against the Commodores the year prior, winning the game 30–14. Vanderbilt later appeared on GameDay again against No. 15 [2025 2025 Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri], making 2025 Vanderbilt's first ever season with multiple GameDay appearances. Vanderbilt would go on to defeat Missouri 17–10.
After defeating No. 10 [2025 2025 LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers football team|LSU], Vanderbilt was ranked No. 10, making it the first time they have been ranked in the top ten on an AP poll since their No. 10 ranking during the 1947 season. This win also marked Vanderbilt's best start since 1950 at 6–1 and the Commodores became bowl eligible for a second consecutive season.
In the final week of the regular, Vanderbilt defeated No. 19 [2025 2025 Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee] 45–24, finished the regular season 10–2. This marked Vanderbilt's first win over Tennessee since 2018 and the first 10-win season in program history. A few days later, on December 2, Vanderbilt managed to flip the commitment of five-star quarterback Jared Curtis from Georgia, making him the highest-ranked signing in program history.

Preseason

Following a victory in the 2024 Birmingham Bowl that capped off a relatively successful 7–6 season, quarterback Diego Pavia announced his intention to return to Vanderbilt for the 2025 season on December 29, 2024.

SEC prediction poll

The SEC released its preseason prediction poll on July 18, 2025. The Commodores were predicted to finish 13th in the conference and also received two first-place votes.

Game summaries

vs Charleston Southern

StatisticsCHSOVAN
First downs725
Total yards135481
Rushing yards47201
Passing yards88280
Passing: comp–att–int10–19–121–28–0
Turnovers20
Time of possession27:5132:09

at Virginia Tech

StatisticsVANVT
First downs2316
Total yards490248
Rushing yards262134
Passing yards228134
Passing: comp–att–int14–20–117–29–0
Turnovers21
Time of possession32:1227:48

at No. 11 South Carolina

StatisticsVANSC
First downs2220
Total yards323328
Rushing yards14686
Passing yards177242
Passing: comp–att–int18–26–124–34–2
Turnovers14
Time of possession35:4324:17

vs Georgia State

StatisticsGASTVAN
First downs1830
Total Yards290635
Rushes–yards20–3237–286
Passing yards258349
Passing: comp–att–int31-48-023-24-0
Turnovers10
Time of possession30:1129:49

vs Utah State

StatisticsUSUVAN
First downs2131
Total yards393543
Rushing yards119222
Passing yards274321
Passing: comp–att–int28-38-026-35-1
Turnovers11
Time of possession26:4333:17

at No. 10 Alabama

StatisticsVANALA
First downs1625
Plays–yards54–33369–486
Rushes–yards19–13538–146
Passing yards198340
Passing: comp–att–int21–35–123–31–1
Turnovers21
Time of possession22:3737:23

vs No. 10 LSU

StatisticsLSUVAN
First downs1420
Plays–yards49–32567–399
Rushes–yards21–10045–239
Passing yards225160
Passing: comp–att–int19–28–014–22–0
Turnovers00
Time of possession23:2936:31

vs No. 15 Missouri

StatisticsMIZVAN
First downs2213
Plays–yards78–37645–265
Rushes–yards41–17026–136
Passing yards206129
Passing: comp–att–int23–37–010–19–1
Turnovers11
Time of possession36:1223:48

at No. 20 Texas

StatisticsVANTEX
First downs2523
Plays–yards62–42360–428
Rushes–yards24–5827–100
Passing yards365328
Passing: comp–att–int27–38–025–33–0
Turnovers00
Time of possession30:5929:01

vs Auburn

StatisticsAUBVAN
First downs3430
Plays–yards563544
Rushes–yards210167
Passing yards353377
Passing: comp–att–int31-46-025-33-0
Turnovers01
Time of possession29:0031:00

vs Kentucky (rivalry)

StatisticsUKVAN
First downs1829
Total yards315604
Rushes–yards19–3125–65
Passing yards284539
Passing: comp–att–int29–49–337–44–1
Turnovers31
Time of possession23:4736:13

at No. 19 Tennessee (rivalry)

StatisticsVANTENN
First downs2721
Plays–yards579382
Rushes–yards31483
Passing yards265299
Passing: comp–att–int18-28-229-44-0
Turnovers20
Time of possession34:5925:01

vs No. 23 Iowa (ReliaQuest Bowl)

StatisticsIOWAVAN
First downs1921
Plays–yards59–37960–398
Rushes–yards37–16722–51
Passing yards212347
Passing: ––16–22–125–38–0
Time of possession32:1327:37