As the college football regular season ends, the Vanderbilt Commodores sit at No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. After a decisive win over Tennessee, the team holds a 10-2 record. Head coach Clark Lea and the Commodores are hoping for a playoff berth after a season that exceeded expectations.
Despite their strong record, the Commodores must wait until Selection Day. They sit below BYU, Miami, and Texas in the rankings, and their win over Tennessee wasn’t enough for a top-10 spot needed for a playoff bid. The final decision will depend on conference championship results, which feature no top-15 teams, affecting the at-large selection process, according to The Tennessean.
Vanderbilt’s extension of Clark Lea’s contract, reported by WSMV, shows the university’s confidence in his leadership. "Clark Lea embodies what is possible at Vanderbilt, and I am proud to continue this journey with him leading our football program," said Athletics Director Candice Storey Lee.
Support for Clark Lea also comes from Vanderbilt chancellor Daniel Diermeier and men’s basketball coach Mark Byington, who join Lea and Lee in urging the committee to include the Commodores in the playoffs, according to The Tennessean. With the evolving college football landscape, Vanderbilt has made a strong case and looks to Sunday’s selection with anticipation and hope.
WKRN highlighted the team’s recent accolades, including their largest-ever margin of victory on the road at Tennessee. The win comes during a season in which Vanderbilt has remained in the CFP Top 25 for the fifth consecutive week, marking another milestone in the program’s history.
