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1948 Vanderbilt

8–⁠2–⁠1 (4–⁠2–⁠1 Southeastern Conference), coached by Red Sanders, finished No. 12 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Vanderbilt in 1948, game by game: lost vs. Georgia Tech 0–13; tied vs. Alabama 14–14; lost at No. 13 Ole Miss 7–20; won at Kentucky 26–7; won at Yale 35–0; won at Auburn 47–0; won vs. LSU 48–7; won vs. Marshall 56–0; won vs. Maryland 34–0; won vs. Tennessee 28–6; won at Miami 33–6+56−13Lost 0–13 vs. Georgia Tech-13Georgia TechTied 14–14 vs. Alabama0AlabamaLost 7–20 at No. 13 Ole Miss-13No. 13 Ole MissWon 26–7 at Kentucky+19KentuckyWon 35–0 at Yale+35YaleWon 47–0 at Auburn+47AuburnWon 48–7 vs. LSU+41LSUWon 56–0 vs. Marshall+56MarshallWon 34–0 vs. Maryland+34MarylandWon 28–6 vs. Tennessee+22TennesseeWon 33–6 at Miami+27Miami
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 25vsGeorgia TechL 0–⁠1338%
Oct 2vsAlabamaT 14–⁠1441%
Oct 9at13Ole MissL 7–⁠2025%
Oct 16atKentuckyW 26–⁠735%
Oct 23atYaleW 35–⁠040%
Oct 29atAuburnW 47–⁠071%
Nov 6vsLSUW 48–⁠766%
Nov 13vsMarshallW 56–⁠094%
Nov 20vsMarylandW 34–⁠051%
Nov 27vsTennesseeW 28–⁠666%
Dec 3atMiamiW 33–⁠675%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Miami 33–⁠6; No. 12 in the final AP poll; 4th in the Southeastern Conference.

In program history: The 10th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 124 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 8: 15
  2. Final: 12

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1948.

Led the nationLee Nalley: punt return yards (791 yds)

Record
8–⁠2–⁠1
Conference
4–⁠2–⁠1 4th in Southeastern Conference
AP final
No. 12 peak No. 12
Points
328–⁠73
Coach
Red Sanders
Elo
1673 +174 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
23.5 No. 4 of 117 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captain
John Clark
Offense
Single-wing

All-SEC

1 first team, 3 second team

First team

  • John ClarkCAP-1; UP-2

Second team

  • Carl CoppOTUP-2
  • Ken CooperOGAP-2
  • Herb RichRBAP-2

From Wikipedia’s 1948 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1948 Southeastern Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Georgia6–⁠09–⁠28
Ole Miss6–⁠18–⁠115
Tulane5–⁠19–⁠113
Vanderbilt4–⁠2–⁠18–⁠2–⁠112
Georgia Tech4–⁠37–⁠3
Alabama4–⁠4–⁠16–⁠4–⁠1
Mississippi State3–⁠34–⁠4–⁠1
Tennessee2–⁠3–⁠14–⁠4–⁠2
Kentucky1–⁠3–⁠15–⁠3–⁠2
Florida1–⁠55–⁠5
LSU1–⁠53–⁠7
Auburn0–⁠71–⁠8–⁠1

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.