American college football season
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.
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 .[ 1]
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.[ 2]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 2 7:00 p.m. at Middle Tennessee * CBSSN W 28–626,717 September 9 3:00 p.m. Alabama A&M * SECN W 42–025,802 September 16 6:30 p.m. No. 18 Kansas State * Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN ESPNU W 14–740,350 September 23 2:30 p.m. No. 1 Alabama CBS L 0–5940,350 September 30 11:00 a.m. at No. 21 Florida ESPN L 24–3884,478 October 7 11:00 a.m. No. 5 Georgia † Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry ) ESPN L 14–4536,282 October 14 2:30 p.m. at Ole Miss SECN L 35–5760,157 October 28 3:00 p.m. at South Carolina SECN L 27–3478,992 November 4 11:00 a.m. Western Kentucky * Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN ESPNU W 31–1726,350 November 11 3:00 p.m. Kentucky Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry ) SECN L 21–4427,346 November 18 6:30 p.m. Missouri Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN SECN L 17–4522,910 November 25 3:00 p.m. at Tennessee SECN W 42–2483,117
Schedule Source: [ 3] 1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 14 7 7 0 28 MTSU 0 0 0 6 6
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1915 Vanderbilt 30–0 13–3 10–3 3–0 2016 Vanderbilt, 47–24
1 2 3 4 Total Alabama A&M 0 0 0 0 0 Vanderbilt 14 21 7 0 42
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result First game in series
1 2 3 4 Total Kansas State 0 7 0 0 7 Vanderbilt 7 0 0 7 14
First meeting Result Overall record Home Away Last meeting Result 1984 Vanderbilt 26–14 1–0 1–0 0–0 1984 Vanderbilt 26–14
1 2 3 4 Total Alabama 21 10 21 7 59 Vanderbilt 0 0 0 0 0
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
1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 7 10 0 7 24 Florida 7 10 7 14 38
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
1 2 3 4 Total Georgia 7 14 17 7 45 Vanderbilt 0 7 0 7 14
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
1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 0 21 0 14 35 Ole Miss 7 28 12 10 57
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
1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 7 6 7 7 27 South Carolina 14 10 7 3 34
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
1 2 3 4 Total Western Kentucky 7 7 3 0 17 Vanderbilt 14 7 7 3 31
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
1 2 3 4 Total Kentucky 7 13 21 3 44 Vanderbilt 7 0 14 0 21
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
1 2 3 4 Total Missouri 7 28 3 7 45 Vanderbilt 0 0 17 0 17
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
1 2 3 4 Total Vanderbilt 7 14 0 21 42 Tennessee 14 0 3 7 24
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
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championships in bold