The 2023 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores were led by Clark Lea in his third year as their head coach. Following their blowout loss to Ole Miss, the Commodores became ineligible for a bowl selection for the 5th consecutive season. This was the last year of the Eastern and Western divisions of the SEC, as Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024. The Vanderbilt Commodores football team drew an average home attendance of 25,509 in 2023.
Schedule Vanderbilt and the SEC announced the 2023 football schedule on September 20, 2022. The 2023 Commodores' schedule consists of 6 home games and 6 away games for the regular season. Vanderbilt will host four SEC conference opponents Auburn, Georgia (rivalry), Kentucky (rivalry) and Missouri at home and will travel to four SEC opponents, Florida, Mississippi (rivalry), South Carolina and Tennessee (rivalry) to close out the SEC regular season on the road. Vanderbilt is not scheduled to play SEC West opponents Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State and Texas A&M in the 2023 regular season. The Commodores' have two bye weeks this season.
Vanderbilt's out of conference opponents represent the ACC, Mountain West and SWAC. The Commodores will host two of the four non–conference games which are against Alabama A&M from the SWAC and Hawaii from the Mountain West. The Commodores will travel to two non–conference games which are against UNLV also from the Mountain West and will travel to Wake Forest from the ACC.
Rankings
Game summaries Hawaii
Statistics HAWVAN First downs 19 17 Total yards 391 297 Rushing yards 40 39 Passing yards 351 258 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 31:22 28:38 Team Category Player StatisticsHawaii Passing Brayden Schager 27/35, 351 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Landon Sims 9 carries, 38 yards Receiving Pofele Ashlock 7 receptions, 127 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 19/30, 258 yards, 3 TD Rushing Patrick Smith 7 carries, 30 yards, TD Receiving Jayden McGowan 6 receptions, 72 yards
Alabama A&M
Statistics AAMUVAN First downs 14 24 Total yards 278 461 Rushing yards 135 215 Passing yards 143 246 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:22 27:38 Team Category Player StatisticsAlabama A&M Passing Xavier Lankford 11/22, 105 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Nwokenkwo 1 carry, 39 yards Receiving Terrell Gardner 3 receptions, 83 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 15/29, 194 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 12 carries, 87 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jayden McGowan 6 receptions, 70 yards
at Wake Forest
Statistics VANWAKE First downs 21 29 Total yards 423 484 Rushing yards 109 288 Passing yards 314 196 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 25:43 34:17 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 26/39, 314 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Patrick Smith 10 carries, 77 yards Receiving London Humphreys 4 receptions, 109 yards, TDWake Forest Passing Mitch Griffis 17/26, 196 yards, 2 TD Rushing Demond Claiborne 26 carries, 165 yards Receiving Ke'Shawn Williams 5 receptions, 92 yards, TD
at UNLV
Statistics VAN UNLV First downs 2121 Total yards 420403 Rushing yards 38–8340–127 Passing yards 337276 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–37–121–37–2 Time of possession 30:4528:35 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 17/35, 335 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Patrick Smith 13 carries, 43 yards Receiving London Humphreys 3 receptions, 102 yards, TDUNLV Passing Jayden Maiava 19/33, 261 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jai'Den Thomas 13 carries, 50 yards, TD Receiving Ricky White 12 receptions, 165 yards
Kentucky
Statistics UKVAN First downs 18 20 Total yards 60–365 74–328 Rushing yards 31–160 27–97 Passing yards 205 231 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–29–2 20–47–4 Time of possession 31:11 28:49 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Devin Leary 15/29, 205 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ray Davis 17 carries, 78 yards, 2 TD Receiving Barion Brown 4 receptions, 105 yards Vanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 16/40, 189 yards, 3 INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 8 carries, 37 yards, TD Receiving Gamarion Carter 2 receptions, 48 yards
Missouri
Statistics MIZZVAN First downs 28 15 Total yards 75–532 72–300 Rushing yards 34–137 20–41 Passing yards 395 259 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 33–41–0 20–31–1 Time of possession 35:58 24:02 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri Passing Brady Cook 33/41, 395 yards, 4 TD Rushing Nathaniel Peat 12 carries, 71 yards Receiving Luther Burden III 11 receptions, 140 yards, 2 TD Vanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 20/31, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jayden McGowan 3 carries, 24 yards Receiving Will Sheppard 5 receptions, 98 yards, TD
at Florida
Statistics VANFLA First downs 13 25 Total yards 53–344 71–495 Rushing yards 19–64 30–215 Passing yards 280 280 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–34–0 34–41–1 Time of possession 23:02 36:58 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 19/34, 280 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sedrick Alexander 8 carries, 29 yards Receiving Will Sheppard 3 receptions, 107 yards, TDFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 30/36, 254 yards, 3 TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 18 carries, 135 yards, TD Receiving Arlis Boardingham 7 receptions, 99 yards, 2 TD
Georgia
Statistics UGAVAN First downs 26 9 Total yards 78–552 47–219 Rushing yards 39–291 15–18 Passing yards 261 201 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 29–39–1 19–29–1 Time of possession 37:19 22:41 Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Passing Carson Beck 29/39, 261 yards, TD, INT Rushing Daijun Edwards 20 carries, 146 yards, TD Receiving Dominic Lovett 9 receptions, 72 yards, TD Vanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 19/29, 201 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 6 carries, 16 yards, TD Receiving Jayden McGowan 5 receptions, 58 yards
at Ole Miss
Statistics VANMISS First downs 13 22 Total yards 229 431 Rushing yards 169 177 Passing yards 60 254 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 8–20–2 20–29–1 Time of possession 32:59 27:01 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Walter Taylor 4/12, 38 yards, 1 INT Rushing Walter Taylor 20 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD Receiving Junior Sherrill 2 receptions, 28 yardsOle Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 19/28, 240 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Quinshon Judkins 17 carries, 124 yards, 2 TD Receiving Dayton Wade 8 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD
Auburn
Statistics AUBVAN First downs 14 12 Plays–yards 64–424 62–266 Rushes–yards 37–230 30–100 Passing yards 194 166 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–27–1 17–32–1 Time of possession 26:39 33:21 Team Category Player StatisticsAuburn Passing Payton Thorne 17/27, 194 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jarquez Hunter 19 carries, 183 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ja'Varrius Johnson 3 receptions, 62 yardsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 16/29, 160 yards, TD, INT Rushing Sedrick Alexander 9 carries, 40 yards Receiving Will Sheppard 4 receptions, 43 yards
at South Carolina
Statistics VANSC First downs 17 21 Total yards 235 487 Rushing yards 131 136 Passing yards 104 351 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–28–0 28–36–1 Time of possession 32:47 27:13 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 13–28, 103 yards, TD Rushing Walter Taylor 6 carries, 39 yards Receiving London Humphreys 3 receptions, 33 yardsSouth Carolina Passing Spencer Rattler 28–36, 351 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Mario Anderson 9 carries, 102 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Legette 9 receptions, 120 yards
at Tennessee
Statistics VANTENN First downs 22 31 Total yards 306 617 Rushing yards 78 168 Passing yards 228 449 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–32–0 31–47–0 Time of possession 34:21 25:39 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing AJ Swann 14/23, 167 yards, TD Rushing Sedrick Alexander 11 carries, 46 yards Receiving Junior Sherrill 4 receptions, 52 yards, TDTennessee Passing Joe Milton III 22/33, 383 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jaylen Wright 11 carries, 75 yards Receiving Ramel Keyton 4 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
Coaching staff Clark Lea Head coach 3rd Justin Lustig Associate head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach 3rdJoey Lynch Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks 3rd Nick Howell Defensive coordinator 2nd Nick Lezynski Linebackers coach/Defensive Run Game Coordinator 2nd A.J. Blazek Offensive line coach 3rd Jovan Haye Defensive ends coach 3rd Larry Black Defensive tackles coach 2nd Alex Bailey Wide receivers 2nd Dan Jackson Defensive Backs coach 2nd Jayden Everett Running Backs Coach 1st
References