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 (1–7 SEC) 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 (by 59 points), Georgia (by 31), and Missouri (by 28). The Tennessee win at Neyland Stadium was the Commodores' fourth in six games, a feat unequaled by VU in that rivalry since 1926.
Schedule
Vanderbilt announced its 2017 football schedule on September 13, 2016. The 2017 schedule consisted of 7 home games and 5 away games in the regular season. The Commodores hosted SEC foes Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Missouri, and traveled to Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The Commodores hosted three of their four non–conference games, against Alabama A&M from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Kansas State from the Big 12 Conference and Western Kentucky from Conference USA. Vanderbilt traveled to Middle Tennessee (also from Conference USA) and ended a five-game losing streak in opening games dating from 2012.
Schedule source:
Game summaries
Middle Tennessee
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1915 Vanderbilt 30–0 13–3 10–3 3–0 2016 Vanderbilt, 47–24
Alabama A&M
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result First game in series
Kansas State
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1984 Vanderbilt 26–14 1–0 1–0 0–0 1984 Vanderbilt 26–14
Alabama
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1903 Vanderbilt 30–0 19–61–4 13–28–2 6–31–2 2011 Alabama 34–0
Florida
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1945 Vanderbilt 7–0 10–37–2 7–15–1 3–22–1 2016 Florida 13–6
Georgia
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1893 Vanderbilt 35–0 19–56–2 11–25–2 8–31 2016 Vanderbilt 17–16
Ole Miss
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1894 Vanderbilt 40–0 38–50–2 27–24–2 11–26 2016 Vanderbilt 38–17
South Carolina
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1961 South Carolina 23–7 4–22 2–11 2–11 2016 South Carolina 13–10
Western Kentucky
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1931 Vanderbilt 52–6 4–1 3–1 1–0 2016 Vanderbilt 31–30 OT
Kentucky
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1896 Vanderbilt 6–0 42–43–4 27–19–2 15–24–2 2016 Kentucky 13–6
Missouri
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1895 Missouri 14–0 3–5–1 1–1–1 2–4 2016 Missouri 26–17
Tennessee
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1892 Vanderbilt 12–0 31–75–5 20–36–4 11–39–1 2016 Vanderbilt 45–34
References