The 2013 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their seven home games at Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field in Nashville, Tennessee, which has been Vanderbilt football's home stadium since 1922. The 2013 team was coming off back-to-back bowls for the first time in school history. The 2012 season was the best win percentage since 1955 (.692); the nine wins were the most since 1915, and the 5 SEC wins were the most since 1935. The 2013 team was headed by James Franklin who was in his 3rd and final year at Vanderbilt.
For the third straight year Vanderbilt had made it to a bowl game. Vandy defeated the Houston Cougars in the BBVA Compass Bowl 41–24. Vanderbilt finished with 9 wins in back to back seasons for the first time in school history. This was the last season the Commodores won a bowl game and finished with a winning record until the 2024 season.
Before the season A small amount of controversy occurred when Vanderbilt canceled games at home with Northwestern and away with Ohio State. Letters were sent cancelling the games, with the explicit reason being the need to accommodate Mizzou into Vanderbilt's SEC East Division. Northwestern, like Vanderbilt in the SEC, is the sole private institution in the Big 10, alleged that the real reason was fear on the part of Vanderbilt to continue playing its Big 10 counterpart—a series which had been referred to as the Battle of the Nerds.
Rape case On August 9, 2013, four Vanderbilt football players were arrested and indicted for rape. Brandon Vandenburg, Cory Lamont Batey, Brandon E. Banks, and Jaborian "Tip" McKenzie were taken into custody and given a state-mandated HIV test in connection with the Vanderbilt rape case. All four men were charged with five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. They allegedly carried an unconscious 21-year-old female student into a dorm room in the school's Gilette House, and gang-raped and sodomized her on the floor in a 32-minute attack on June 23, 2013. They took graphic photos and videos of the rape. The victim (who is White) told the court that after Batey (who is Black) raped her, he urinated on her face while saying she deserved what he was doing to her because of the color of her skin, which sources reported was "That’s for 400 years of slavery you b----." The defendants were dismissed from the football team on June 29, 2013 and banned from campus during the six-week investigation that followed. A fifth player, Chris Boyd, pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit accessory after the fact and was dismissed from the team but not the university for his role in helping to cover up the rape. Three of the players were convicted, and received prison sentences ranging from 15 years, the minimum allowed by Tennessee law for their crimes, to 17 years. The fourth player accepted a plea deal which included 10 years' probation, and did not receive any jail time.
Coaching staff Name Position Year James Franklin Head coach 3rdJohn Donovan Offensive coordinator / running backs coach 3rdBob Shoop Defensive coordinator / safeties coach 3rd Charles Bankins Special teams coordinator / tight ends coach3rd Josh Gattis Wide receivers coach2nd Herb Hand Run game coordinator / offensive line coach4th George Barlow Defensive backs coach2nd Brent Pry Co-defensive coordinator / linebackers coach3rd Ricky Rahne Quarterbacks Coach 3rd Sean Spencer Defensive line coach3rdAndy Frank Assistant director of football operations5th Jemal Griffin Football Chief of Staff3rdMichael Hazel Director of football operations 5th Matt Ruland Assistant Recruiting Coordinator 2nd Joey Orck Offensive Graduate Assistant 5th Tom Bossung Head Athletic Trainer 15th Kevin Colon Associate Director of student athletics 3rd Dwight Galt Football Strength and Conditioning Director 3rd Chuck Losey Football Assistant Strength Coach 3rd Kevin Threlkel Offensive Administrative Assistant 3rdLuke Wyatt Head equipment manager 31st
Recruiting
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries Ole Miss
Statistics MISSVAN First downs 28 19 Total yards 489 426 Rushing yards 206 126 Passing yards 283 300 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 30:46 29:14 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Bo Wallace 31/47, 283 yards Rushing Jeff Scott 12 rushes, 138 yards, TD Receiving Laquon Treadwell 9 receptions, 82 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 21/36, 300 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 5 rushes, 43 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 10 receptions, 178 yards, TD
Austin Peay
Statistics PEAYVAN First downs 6 21 Total yards 139 442 Rushing yards 85 169 Passing yards 54 273 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 30:47 29:13 Team Category Player StatisticsAustin Peay Passing Andrew Spivey 7/11, 37 yards Rushing Tim Phillips 9 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Ladarius Chatman 3 receptions, 19 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 14/22, 223 yards, TD Rushing Jerron Seymour 9 rushes, 41 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 6 receptions, 111 yards, TD
At No. 13 South Carolina
Statistics VANSC First downs 14 31 Total yards 268 579 Rushing yards 121 220 Passing yards 147 359 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 22:50 37:10 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 12/22, 147 yards, TD, INT Rushing Wesley Tate 10 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Jordan Matthews 8 receptions, 106 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 21/29, 284 yards, 3 TD Rushing Connor Shaw 19 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Bruce Ellington 8 receptions, 111 yards, TD
At UMass
Statistics VANMASS First downs 23 17 Total yards 406 248 Rushing yards 166 99 Passing yards 240 149 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 32:19 27:41 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 18/27, 219 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Wesley Tate 14 rushes, 64 yards Receiving Jonathan Krause 6 receptions, 105 yards, TDUMass Passing A. J. Doyle 20/28, 133 yards, TD Rushing A. J. Doyle 8 rushes, 29 yards Receiving Tajae Sharpe 7 receptions, 45 yards, TD
UAB
Statistics UABVAN First downs 17 23 Total yards 362 540 Rushing yards 156 206 Passing yards 206 334 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 30:31 29:29 Team Category Player StatisticsUAB Passing Jonathan Perry 9/16, 155 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jordan Howard 9 rushes, 92 yards Receiving J. J. Nelson 5 receptions, 69 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 23/29, 334 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 12 rushes, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 8 receptions, 115 yards, TD
Missouri
Statistics MIZVAN First downs 29 27 Total yards 523 468 Rushing yards 245 130 Passing yards 278 338 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 29:58 30:02 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing James Franklin 19/28, 278 yards, 4 TD Rushing Henry Josey 14 rushes, 69 yards, 2 TD Receiving L'Damian Washington 3 receptions, 86 yards, 2 TDVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 29/41, 338 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 12 rushes, 65 yards Receiving Jordan Matthews 7 receptions, 123 yards, TD
No. 15 Georgia
Statistics UGAVAN First downs 16 21 Total yards 221 337 Rushing yards 107 119 Passing yards 114 218 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 31:05 28:55 Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Passing Aaron Murray 16/28, 114 yards, INT Rushing Brendan Douglas 17 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Chris Conley 5 receptions, 40 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 12/20, 111 yards, INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 19 rushes, 75 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jonathan Krause 5 receptions, 89 yards
At No. 14 Texas A&M
Statistics VANTAMU First downs 19 28 Total yards 329 558 Rushing yards 95 182 Passing yards 234 376 Turnovers 3 5 Time of possession 35:07 24:53 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Patton Robinette 15/28, 216 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 16 rushes, 53 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 8 receptions, 92 yardsTexas A&M Passing Johnny Manziel 25/35, 305 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Trey Williams 6 rushes, 65 yards, TD Receiving Malcome Kennedy 8 receptions, 83 yards
At Florida
Statistics VANFLA First downs 12 26 Total yards 183 344 Rushing yards 126 39 Passing yards 57 305 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 29:00 31:00 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Patton Robinette 6/12, 57 yards Rushing Jerron Seymour 24 rushes, 62 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 5 receptions, 45 yardsFlorida Passing Tyler Murphy 30/46, 305 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Kelvin Taylor 14 rushes, 47 yards, TD Receiving Quinton Dunbar 6 receptions, 77 yards
Kentucky
Statistics UKVAN First downs 17 14 Total yards 262 313 Rushing yards 142 116 Passing yards 120 197 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 27:28 32:32 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Jalen Whitlow 14/28, 120 yards, 4 INT Rushing Jalen Whitlow 17 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Demarco Robinson 4 receptions, 49 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 19/24, 184 yards Rushing Jerron Seymour 21 rushes, 77 yards Receiving Jordan Matthews 12 receptions, 141 yards
At Tennessee
Statistics VANTENN First downs 15 18 Total yards 285 237 Rushing yards 90 184 Passing yards 195 53 Turnovers 4 3 Time of possession 31:45 28:15 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 21/27, 181 yards, INT Rushing Paul Robinette 10 rushes, 41 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 13 receptions, 133 yardsTennessee Passing Joshua Dobbs 11/19, 53 yards, 2 INT Rushing Rajion Neal 22 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving Alton Howard 2 receptions, 23 yards
Wake Forest
Statistics WAKEVAN First downs 15 22 Total yards 266 403 Rushing yards 111 132 Passing yards 155 271 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 21:51 38:09 Team Category Player StatisticsWake Forest Passing Tanner Price 16/32, 155 yards, INT Rushing Tanner Price 12 rushes, 47 yards, TD Receiving Josh Harris 3 receptions, 40 yardsVanderbilt Passing Austyn Carta-Samuels 24/33, 231 yards, TD, INT Rushing Brian Kimbrow 13 rushes, 45 yards Receiving Jordan Matthews 11 receptions, 125 yards
Vs. Houston (BBVA Compass Bowl)
Statistics VANHOU First downs 14 12 Total yards 365 384 Rushing yards 211 146 Passing yards 154 238 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 35:41 24:19 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Paul Robinette 6/19, 154 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jerron Seymour 20 rushes, 89 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Matthews 5 receptions, 143 yards, 2 TDHouston Passing John O'Korn 20/47, 228 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Daniel Spencer 3 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Markeith Ambles 6 receptions, 105 yards, TD
References