Alabama football Week 11 opponent preview: Vanderbilt Commodores
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On Saturday afternoon, the Alabama Crimson Tide will play the final road game on their regular season schedule in Nashville against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
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The Commodores are a team that has given Alabama problems the past two seasons, even upsetting the Tide back in 2024 in Nashville. Alabama avenged that loss a year ago in Tuscaloosa, and now enters this latest game between the two as a heavy favorite, even despite Vanderbilt having a number of players back from the two previous games.
Vanderbilt this season though has seen a number of struggles, and will come into this matchup owning a record that is under .500. A large number of those struggles have come in SEC action, though the Commodores are coming off a win in their most recent game, a result last week which snapped a previous five-game losing streak.
Here is everything you need to know about Vanderbilt ahead of Saturday's Week 11 showdown in Nashville.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 overview
- Conference: SEC
- Stadium: FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
- Record: 4-5 overall (1-5 SEC)
- Ranking: Unranked in CFP rankings, Unranked in US LBM Coaches Poll, Unranked in AP Poll
Vanderbilt currently sits at 4-5 overall (1-5 SEC) this season with wins against a trio of nonconference opponents in Austin Peay, Delaware, and NC State, as well as this past week on the road at Mississippi State. The Commodores at the moment are tied at the bottom of the SEC conference standings.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 coaching staff
- Head Coach: Clark Lea
- Offensive Coordinator: Tim Beck
- Defensive Coordinator: Steve Gregory
Clark Lea is currently in his sixth season as the head coach at Vanderbilt where he owns a combined 30-41 record dating back to 2021. The Commodores also have a pair of coordinators back this year from in Tim Beck and Steve Gregory on offense and defense, respectively.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 offensive stats
- Points Per Game: 23 (No. 103 in FBS)
- Total Yards Per Game: 341.1
- Passing Yards Per Game: 229
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 112.1
Vanderbilt's offense is currently averaging only 23 points per game, a number which ranks third-fewest in the SEC. The Commodores also rank among the bottom half of the SEC in total, passing, and rushing yards per game.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 defensive stats
- Points Per Game Allowed: 29.4 (No. 110 in FBS)
- Total Yards Per Game Allowed: 359.1
- Passing Yards Per Game Allowed: 221.3
- Rushing Yards Per Game Allowed: 137.8
The Commodores' defense is allowing an average of 29.4 points per game to their opponents, a number that ranks worst in the SEC. Vanderbilt also ranks among the bottom half of the SEC in total and rushing yards allowed a game to opponents, while the strength is their pass defense, which allows 221.3 yards per contest.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 offensive players to know
- Jared Curtis, Quarterback, Freshman
- Junior Sherrill, Wide Receiver, Senior
- Sedrick Alexander, Running Back, Senior
- Brock Taylor, Kicker, Senior
- Makhilyn Young, Running Back, Senior
A large number of Vanderbilt's top offensive players to know return from last season such as Junior Sherrill, Sedrick Alexander, and Makhilyn Young, while kicker Brock Taylor is also back on special teams. Leading the Commodores' offense is true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, a former top recruit last year's high school class.
Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 defensive players to know
- CJ Heard, Safety, Junior
- Nick Rinaldi, Linebacker, Graduate Student
- Bryan Longwell, Linebacker, Senior
- Miles Capers, Edge Rusher, Graduate Student
- Martel Hight, Cornerback, Senior
CJ Heard leads the Vanderbilt defense in tackles, while similar to the Commodores offense, a number of key players from the last two seasons are back in 2026. Among those are notable names in the front seven such as Nick Rinaldi, Bryan Longwell, and Miles Capers, as well as Martel Hight in the secondary.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football Week 11 opponent preview: Vanderbilt Commodores