2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team


The 2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by fifth-year head coach Derek Mason. Vanderbilt finished the season 6–7, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in 6th place in the East Division. They were invited to play in the Texas Bowl where they were defeated by Baylor.

Previous season

The Commodores finished the 2017 season 5–7, 1–7 in SEC play to finish in sixth place in the Eastern Division.

Recruiting

Position key

Recruits

The Commodores signed a total of 19 recruits.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
Chuck Bednarik AwardCharles WrightLBSR
Maxwell AwardKyle ShurmurQBSR
John Mackey AwardJared PinkneyTEJR
Walter Camp AwardKyle ShurmurQBSR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardKyle ShurmurQBSR
Manning AwardKyle ShurmurQBSR

SEC media poll

The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018 with the Commodores predicted to finish last in the East Division.
Media poll

Schedule

Game summaries

Middle Tennessee

15–3Sep. 2, 2017W, 28–6

StatisticsMTSUVAN
First downs2119
Total yards294346
Rushes–yards116176
Passing yards178170
Passing: Comp–Att–Int27–37–110–17–0
Time of possession31:0929:51

Nevada

StatisticsNEVVAN
First downs1425
Total yards250468
Rushes–yards34198
Passing yards216270
Passing: Comp–Att–Int22–39–1–224–34–2–0
Time of possession23:5836:02

at Notre Dame

0–2Sep. 5, 1996L, 7–14

StatisticsNDVAN
First downs2423
Total yards380420
Rushes–yards24594
Passing yards135326
Passing: Comp–Att–Int16–26–026–43–1
Time of possession29:1230:48

South Carolina

4–22Oct. 28, 2017L, 27–34

StatisticsSCVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Tennessee State

2–0Oct. 22, 2016W, 35–17

StatisticsTSUVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

at Georgia

20–56–2Oct. 7, 2017L, 7–14

StatisticsUGAVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Florida

10–39–2Sep. 30, 2017L, 24–38

StatisticsUFVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

at Kentucky

42–44–4Nov. 11, 2017L, 21–44

StatisticsUKVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

at Arkansas

2–7–0Oct. 29, 2011L, 28–31

StatisticsARKVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

at Missouri

3–7–1Nov. 18, 2017L, 17–45

StatisticsMIZVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Ole Miss

39–51–2Oct. 14, 2017L, 35–57

StatisticsMISSVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Tennessee

31–75–5Nov. 24, 2017W, 42–24

Baylor–Texas Bowl">2018 Texas Bowl">Texas Bowl

Overall recordLast meetingResult
0–21954Baylor, 25–19

StatisticsBAYVAN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Club
245Joejuan WilliamsCBNew England Patriots
6183Justin SkuleOTSan Francisco 49ers