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 Stadium • Oxford, OH |
ESPNU |
W 34–13 |
18,398 |
| September 4 |
7:30 p.m. |
#24 South Carolina |
|
Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, 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 Stadium • Oxford, MS (Rivalry) |
|
W 23–17 |
51,281 |
| October 4 |
5:00 p.m. |
#13 Auburn |
#19 |
Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN |
ESPN |
W 14–13 |
39,773 |
| October 11 |
1:30 p.m. |
at Mississippi State |
#13 |
Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS |
PPV |
L 14–17 |
43,619 |
| October 18 |
11:30 a.m. |
at #9 Georgia |
#22 |
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA (Rivalry) |
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 Stadium • Lexington, KY (Rivalry) |
ESPN2 |
W 31–24 |
65,595 |
| November 22 |
11:30 a.m. |
Tennessee |
|
Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN (Rivalry) |
Raycom |
L 10–20 |
38,725 |
| November 29 |
6:00 p.m. |
at Wake Forest* |
|
BB&T Field • Winston-Salem, NC |
ESPNU |
L 10–23 |
25,902 |
| December 31 |
2:30 p.m. |
vs. #24 Boston College* |
|
LP Field • Nashville, 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 |
Total |
| Commodores |
17 |
10 |
0 |
7 |
34 |
| RedHawks |
3 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
South Carolina
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Gamecocks |
7 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
17 |
| Commodores |
0 |
3 |
14 |
7 |
24 |
Rice
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Owls |
14 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
| Commodores |
7 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
38 |
Ole Miss
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Commodores |
14 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
23 |
| Rebels |
17 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
Auburn
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| 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 |
Total |
| Commodores |
0 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
| Bulldogs |
3 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
17 |
Georgia
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Commodores |
0 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
| Bulldogs |
7 |
7 |
7 |
3 |
24 |
Duke
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Blue Devils |
0 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
10 |
| Commodores |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
Florida
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Gators |
21 |
14 |
7 |
0 |
42 |
| Commodores |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
14 |
Kentucky
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Commodores |
14 |
10 |
0 |
7 |
31 |
| Wildcats |
0 |
7 |
10 |
7 |
24 |
Tennessee
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Volunteers |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
| Commodores |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
Wake Forest
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Commodores |
3 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
10 |
| Demon Deacons |
3 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
23 |
Boston College
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|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| 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
- Jacob DeLucia - 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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