Game notes: Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Saturday, November 28, kickoff time not yet set, FirstBank Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Tennessee (6–1, 3–1 in conference) at Vanderbilt (3–4, 0–4 in conference), Saturday, November 28, kickoff time not yet set, FirstBank Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their 121st meeting; Tennessee leads the series 81–31–4 in the games on file. Officially, Tennessee leads 79–33–5; as played, 81–31–4. The NCAA vacated Tennessee’s two wins (2019 and 2020); they don’t count officially.results, WikipediaEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, November 29, 2025: Vanderbilt 45, Tennessee 24.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- The first meeting on file is from 1902: Vanderbilt 12, Tennessee 5 (the rivalry’s article dates the series to 1892).results, WikipediaThe earliest meeting on file.
- Vanderbilt is 19–39–3 at home against Tennessee.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2025: Vanderbilt 45–24 (at Tennessee); 2024: Tennessee 36–23 (at Vanderbilt); 2023: Tennessee 48–24 (at Tennessee); 2022: Tennessee 56–0 (at Vanderbilt); 2021: Tennessee 45–21 (at Tennessee).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Tennessee
- Tennessee is 6–1 (3–1 in conference games), 1–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 56–9 vs. Furman; W 45–24 at Georgia Tech; W 42–9 vs. Kennesaw State; L 17–20 vs. No. 1 Texas; W 24–14 vs. Auburn; W 24–17 at Arkansas; W 26–10 vs. No. 6 Alabama.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Tennessee has won three straight, since losing 20–17 to Texas (Sept. 26, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Tennessee is No. 14 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Josh Heupel is 51–21 in his sixth season at Tennessee and 79–29 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Josh Heupel is 4–1 against Vanderbilt.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- DeSean Bishop (RB): 837 rushing yards, 10 TD, No. 3 in FBS in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Mike Matthews (WR): 29 catches, 481 yards, 3 TD, the team leader in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Amare Campbell (LB): 46 tackles, 2 sacks, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- DeSean Bishop needs 24 yards to pass Montario Hardesty (2,391, 2005–09) for 10th on Tennessee’s career rushing yards list. He has 2,368 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2015, Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 53–28.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
Vanderbilt
- Vanderbilt is 3–4 (0–4 in conference games), 0–2 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 28–9 vs. Austin Peay; W 35–26 vs. Delaware; W 35–31 vs. NC State; L 15–21 at Auburn; L 14–38 at No. 2 Georgia; L 17–52 vs. No. 9 Ole Miss; L 21–31 vs. Arkansas.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Vanderbilt has lost four straight, since beating NC State 35–31 (Sept. 19, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Vanderbilt is No. 69 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Clark Lea is 29–40 in his sixth season at Vanderbilt.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Clark Lea is 1–4 against Tennessee.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Junior Sherrill (WR): 41 catches, 628 yards, 4 TD, No. 10 in FBS in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jared Curtis (QB): 1,242 passing yards, 6 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- C.J. Heard (S): 53 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Brock Taylor needs 2 field goals to pass Tommy Openshaw (38, 2014–17) for fifth on Vanderbilt’s career field goals list. He has 37 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 104 yards to pass Chuck Scott (2,219, 1981–84) for seventh on Vanderbilt’s career receiving yards list. He has 2,116 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 2 touchdown catches to pass Allama Matthews (18, 1981–82) for seventh on Vanderbilt’s career touchdown catches list. He has 17 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Junior Sherrill needs 2 catches to pass Chuck Scott (145, 1981–84) for eighth on Vanderbilt’s career receptions list. He has 144 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 1998, Vanderbilt lost to No. 1 Tennessee 41–0.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- Clark Lea is 1–4 against Josh Heupel’s teams as a head coach.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
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