The 2024 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores were led by Clark Lea in his fourth year as their head coach.
The team is best known for its game on October 5, 2024, where Vanderbilt beat No. 1 Alabama 40–35. They gained their first victory over the Crimson Tide in 40 years, as well as their first ever win over an AP top 5 opponent after going 0–60 all time against them prior to that matchup. Their fans carried the South end zone goalposts 2.9 miles through downtown Nashville and Broadway before dumping them in the Cumberland River across from Nissan Stadium. Fans made it past many road blocks by the Nashville Metropolitan PD, and even took a detour around Bridgestone Arena to avoid police. They were fined $100,000 by the SEC. The following week, Vanderbilt achieved another upset against double digit spread by beating the Kentucky Wildcats for their first win on the road of the season.
On October 20, the Commodores achieved their first AP Top 25 ranking for the first time since the end of the 2013 season, at No. 25.
The Commodores faced their historic rival Georgia Tech in the 2024 Birmingham Bowl. With the win over Georgia Tech, the Commodores won their first bowl game and secured their first winning season since 2013.
Preseason SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on July 19, 2024. The Commodores were predicted to finish 16th (last) in the conference, but also received two first-place votes.
1Georgia 3330 (165) 2Texas3041 (27) 3Alabama 2891 (12) 4Ole Miss 2783 (4) 5LSU 2322 (2) 6Missouri 2240 7Tennessee 2168 8Oklahoma 2022 9Texas A&M 1684 10Auburn 1382 11Kentucky 1371 12Florida 1146 13South Carolina 923 (1) 14Arkansas749 15Mississippi State62316Vanderbilt293 (2)
First-place votes 1 Georgia 165 2 Texas 27 3 Alabama 12 4 Ole Miss 4 5 LSU 26 Vanderbilt 2 7 South Carolina 1
Award watch lists Patrick Mannelly AwardJulian AshbyLSGSWuerffel TrophyRichie HoskinsWRSRRay Guy AwardJesse MircoPGSBednarik AwardC. J. TaylorLBSR
Schedule
Rankings
Personnel
Game summaries Virginia Tech
Statistics VTVAN First downs 21 20 Total yards 322 371 Rushing yards 75 181 Passing yards 322 190 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 25:28 34:32 Team Category Player StatisticsVirginia Tech Passing Kyron Drones 22/33, 322 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Bhayshul Tuten 9 rushes, 34 yards, TD Receiving Ali Jennings 2 receptions, 91 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 12/16, 190 yards, 2 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 26 rushes, 104 yards, TD Receiving Quincy Skinner Jr. 4 receptions, 72 yards, TD
Alcorn State
Statistics ALCNVAN First downs 6 18 Total yards 71 342 Rushing yards 40 242 Passing yards 31 100 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:57 31:03 Team Category Player StatisticsAlcorn State Passing Xzavier Vaughn 5/9, 20 yards Rushing Cameron Stewart 10 rushes, 29 yards Receiving Tavarious Griffin 2 receptions, 14 yardsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 10/13, 83 yards Rushing Nate Johnson 2 rushes, 69 yards, TD Receiving Tristen Brown 3 receptions, 27 yards
At Georgia State
Statistics VANGAST First downs 23 25 Total yards 380 426 Rushing yards 110 157 Passing yards 270 269 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 27:13 32:47 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 18/33, 270 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sedrick Alexander 11 rushes, 42 yards, TD Receiving Eli Stowers 9 receptions, 110 yards, TDGeorgia State Passing Christian Veilleux 26/41, 269 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Freddie Brock 15 rushes, 96 yards Receiving Ted Hurst 7 receptions, 128 yards, 2 TD
At No. 7 Missouri
Statistics VANMIZZ First downs 15 22 Total yards 324 442 Rushing yards 146 216 Passing yards 178 226 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 26:54 33:06 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 14/23, 178 yards, 2 TD Rushing Diego Pavia 17 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Joseph McVay 1 reception, 65 yards, TDMissouri Passing Brady Cook 23/37, 226 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nate Noel 24 rushes, 199 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 6 receptions, 76 yards, 2 TD
No. 1 Alabama
Statistics ALAVAN First downs 17 26 Total yards 394 418 Rushing yards 84 166 Passing yards 310 252 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 17:52 42:08
Team Category Player StatisticsAlabama Passing Jalen Milroe 18/24, 310 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jam Miller 5 rushes, 45 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ryan Coleman-Williams 3 receptions, 82 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 16/20, 252 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sedrick Alexander 21 rushes, 64 yards, 2 TD Receiving Eli Stowers 6 receptions, 113 yards
This was Vanderbilt's first win over Alabama since 1984 and its first win against the Crimson Tide in Nashville since 1969. This was also the Commodores first win over a AP Top 5 opponent in program history.
At Kentucky
Statistics VANUK First downs 19 23 Total yards 288 322 Rushing yards 145 164 Passing yards 143 158 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 34:35 25:25 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 15/18, 143 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 11 rushes, 58 yards Receiving Richie Hoskins 3 receptions, 44 yards, TDKentucky Passing Brock Vandagriff 15/25, 158 yards, TD Rushing Demie Sumo-Karngbaye 12 rushes, 59 yards, TD Receiving Dane Key 8 receptions, 83 yards, TD
Ball State
Statistics BALLVAN First downs 16 21 Total yards 268 420 Rushing yards 78 145 Passing yards 190 275 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 25:25 34:35 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kadin Semonza 21/29, 190 yards, TD Rushing Vaughn Pemberton 5 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Tanner Koziol 9 receptions, 68 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 17/31, 275 yards, TD Rushing Diego Pavia 13 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Eli Stowers 8 receptions, 130 yards, TD
No. 5 Texas
Statistics TEXVAN First downs 20 17 Total yards 392 269 Rushing yards 104 114 Passing yards 288 155 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 31:09 28:51 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Quinn Ewers 27/37, 288 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Quintrevion Wisner 17 rushes, 79 yards Receiving DeAndre Moore Jr. 6 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 16/29, 143 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Diego Pavia 16 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Junior Sherrill 5 receptions, 62 yards, TD
At Auburn
Statistics VANAUB First downs 12 14 Total yards 227 327 Rushing yards 84 88 Passing yards 143 239 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 31:57 28:03 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 9/22, 143 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sedrick Alexander 10 rushes, 28 yards Receiving Junior Sherrill 1 reception, 31 yardsAuburn Passing Payton Thorne 20/29, 239 yards, TD Rushing Jarquez Hunter 12 rushes, 50 yards Receiving KeAndre Lambert-Smith 4 receptions, 78 yards
South Carolina
Statistics SCARVAN First downs 25 17 Total yards 452 274 Rushing yards 214 108 Passing yards 238 166 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 30:59 29:01 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing LaNorris Sellers 14/20, 238 yards, 2 TD Rushing Raheim Sanders 15 rushes, 126 yards, 2 TD Receiving Raheim Sanders 2 Receptions, 52 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 16/31, 166 yards Rushing Diego Pavia 13 rushes, 65 yards, TD Receiving Eli Stowers 4 receptions, 41 yards
At LSU
Statistics VANLSU First downs 13 27 Total yards 308 471 Rushing yards 122 139 Passing yards 186 332 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 25:17 34:43 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 13/24, 186 yards, TD Rushing Diego Pavia 6 rushes, 43 yards, TD Receiving Quincy Skinner Jr. 3 receptions, 72 yards, TDLSU Passing Garrett Nussmeier 28/37, 332 yards, TD Rushing Josh Williams 14 rushes, 90 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kyren Lacy 6 receptions, 85 yards, TD
No. 8 Tennessee
Statistics TENNVAN First downs 28 15 Total yards 538 212 Rushing yards 281 108 Passing yards 257 104 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 33:35 26:25 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee Passing Nico Iamaleava 18/26, 257 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Dylan Sampson 25 rushes, 178 yards Receiving Dont'e Thornton Jr. 3 receptions, 118 yards, 2 TDVanderbilt Passing Diego Pavia 8/17, 104 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 17 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD Receiving Richie Hoskins 1 reception, 31 yards, 1 TD
Georgia Tech (Birmingham Bowl / rivalry)
References