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2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football
2008 Music City Bowl Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
2008 record7–6 (4–4 SEC)
Head coachBobby Johnson
Offensive coordinatorTed Cain
Defensive coordinatorBruce Fowler
Home stadiumVanderbilt Stadium
Seasons
← 2007
2009 →
2008 SEC football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#1 Florida x   7 1         13 1  
#13 Georgia   6 2         10 3  
Vanderbilt   4 4         7 6  
South Carolina   4 4         7 6  
Tennessee   3 5         5 7  
Kentucky   2 6         7 6  
Western Division
#6 Alabama x   8 0         12 2  
#14 Ole Miss   5 3         9 4  
LSU   3 5         8 5  
Arkansas   2 6         5 7  
Auburn   2 6         5 7  
Mississippi State   2 6         4 8  
Championship: Florida 31, Alabama 20
† – BCS representative as champion
‡ – BCS at-large representative
x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2008–09 college football season. The team's head coach was Bobby Johnson, who served his seventh season in the position. The Commodores played their six home games at Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field in Nashville, Tennessee. This was Vanderbilt's first 5-0 start since 1943.

Schedule[]

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
August 28* 6:30 p.m. at Miami (OH) Yager StadiumOxford, OH ESPNU W 34–13   18,398
September 4 7:30 p.m. #24 South Carolina Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, TN ESPN W 24–17   36,850
September 13* 6:00 p.m. Rice Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN W 38–21   37,370
September 20 6:00 p.m. at Mississippi Vaught-Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS W 23–17   51,281
October 4 5:00 p.m. #14 Auburn #19 Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN ESPN W 14–13   39,773
October 11 1:30 p.m. at Mississippi State #13 Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, MS PPV L 14–17   43,619
October 18 11:30 a.m. at #9 Georgia #23 Sanford StadiumAthens, GA Raycom L 14–24   92,746
October 25*† 2:00 p.m. Duke Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN L 7–10   38,270
November 8 7:00 p.m. #5 Florida Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN ESPN2 L 14–42   39,773
November 15 7:00 p.m. at Kentucky Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY ESPN2 W 31–24   65,595
November 22 11:30 a.m. Tennessee Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN (Tennessee–Vanderbilt rivalry) Raycom L 10–20   38,725
November 29* 6:00 p.m. at Wake Forest BB&T FieldWinston-Salem, NC ESPNU L 10–23   25,902
December 31* 2:30 p.m. vs. Boston College LP FieldNashville, TN (Music City Bowl) ESPN W 16–14   54,250
*Non-Conference Game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released week prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Season Summary[]

Following a 4–0 start to the season, the Vanderbilt Commodores were ranked for the first time on the AP Poll since 1984.[1] Following the victory over Auburn, the Commodores were 5–0 for the first time since 1943.[2] After the good start, the Commodores would lose their next four games before a 31-24 victory over Kentucky that declared them bowl eligible for the first time since 1982. Vandy would then lose their final two games of the regular season.They ended the season by going to the Music City Bowl where they defeated Boston College by a score of 16-14, ending a 53-year bowl victory drought.

Game notes[]

Miami (OH)[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 17 10 0 7 34
RedHawks 3 7 3 0 13




South Carolina[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Gamecocks 7 3 0 7 17
Commodores 0 3 14 7 24




Rice[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Owls 14 7 0 0 21
Commodores 7 14 10 7 38




Ole Miss[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 14 3 0 6 23
Rebels 17 0 0 0 17




Auburn[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Tigers 13 0 0 0 13
Commodores 0 7 7 0 14




This game was notably broadcast on ESPN's national television program College GameDay.

Mississippi State[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 0 7 0 7 14
Bulldogs 3 0 7 7 17




Georgia[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 0 7 7 0 14
Bulldogs 7 7 7 3 24




Duke[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Blue Devils 0 7 3 0 10
Commodores 0 0 0 7 7




Florida[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Gators 21 14 7 0 42
Commodores 0 0 7 7 14




Kentucky[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 14 10 0 7 31
Wildcats 0 7 10 7 24




Tennessee[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Volunteers 0 20 0 0 20
Commodores 0 0 10 0 10




Wake Forest[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Commodores 3 0 0 7 10
Demon Deacons 3 7 7 6 23




Boston College[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Eagles 0 7 0 7 14
Commodores 6 0 7 3 16




Coaching staff[]

  • Bobby Johnson - Head Coach
  • Ted Cain - Offensive Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach
  • Bruce Fowler - Defensive Coordinator
  • Robbie Caldwell - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach
  • Rick Logo - Defensive Line Coach
  • Warren Belin - Linebackers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
  • Jamie Bryant - Defensive Backs Coach and Special Teams Coordinator
  • Charlie Fisher - Co-Passing Game Coordinator & Wide Receivers
  • Jimmy Kiser - Co-Passing Game Coordinator & Quarterbacks
  • Des Kitchings - Running Backs Coach
  • Michael Hazel - Assistant Director of Football Operations
  • Joey Orck - Offensive Quality Control
  • Andy Frank - Defensive Quality Control
  • Norval McKenzie - Offensive Graduate Assistant
  • Mark Moehring - Defensive Graduate Assistant
  • Tom Bossung - Head Athletic Trainer
  • Brian Reese - Associate Director of Student Athletics
  • John Sisk - Director of Speed, Strength and Conditioning
  • Luke Wyatt - Head Equipment Manager

References[]

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