| Year: | 1940 |
| Team: | Vanderbilt Commodores |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Record: | 3–6–1 |
| Conf Record: | 1–5–1 |
| Head Coach: | Red Sanders |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Scheme: | Single-wing |
| Captain: | John Ellis |
| Stadium: | Dudley Field |
The 1940 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1940 college football season. The Commodores were led by Red Sanders, in his first season as head coach. Members of the Southeastern Conference, Vanderbilt went 3–6–1 overall and 1–5–1 in conference play.
Vanderbilt was ranked at No. 63 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[1]
The Commodores played their seven home games at Dudley Field in Nashville, Tennessee.