2020 Vanderbilt Commodores football team explained
| Year: | 2020 |
| Team: | Vanderbilt Commodores |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Division: | Eastern Division |
| Record: | 0–9 |
| Conf Record: | 0–9 |
| Hc Year: | 7th |
| Hc Games: | first 8 games |
| Hc Games2: | interim; final game |
| Off Coach: | Todd Fitch |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
The 2020 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by interim head coach Todd Fitch, who replaced Derek Mason after his firing on November 29, 2020. On December 14, 2020, Clark Lea was hired as head coach.
On November 28, in game against Missouri, Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power Five conference game by delivering the opening kickoff for the second half. Fuller, the Commodores' goalkeeper on the school's SEC championship women's soccer team, was added to the football roster after the team's regular kicking specialists had to be quarantined due to COVID-19 protocols.[1] [2] The following game, against Tennessee in the season finale, Fuller would become the first women to score in a Power Five game, going a perfect 2/2 on extra point attempts.[3] [4]
Preseason
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
SEC Media Days
In the preseason media poll, Vanderbilt was predicted to finish in last place in the East Division.[5]
| Media poll (East Division) |
| 1 | Florida | 624 (53) |
| 2 | Georgia | 613 (43) |
| 3 | Tennessee | 434 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 405 |
| 5 | South Carolina | 287 |
| 6 | Missouri | 224 |
| 7 | Vanderbilt | 101 | |
Schedule
Vanderbilt had games scheduled against Colorado State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Mercer, which were all canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] [7] [8]
The game between Vanderbilt and Missouri was originally scheduled to take place on October 17. However, due to COVID-19 management requirements in response to positive tests and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Vanderbilt program, the game was rescheduled for December 12.[9] [10] The SEC postponed Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt to facilitate the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt–Missouri game. The shuffling allows for the opportunity for all 14 SEC teams to play 10 regular-season games.[11] [12]
Game summaries
At No. 10 Texas A&M
| Statistics | VAN | TAMU |
|---|
| First downs | 17 | 17 |
| Total yards | 255 | 372 |
| Rushing yards | 105 | 183 |
| Passing yards | 150 | 189 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 33:59 | 26:01 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Vanderbilt | Passing | | 20/29, 150 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Ja'Veon Marlow | 16 rushes, 65 yards |
| Receiving | Amir Abdur-Rahman | 5 receptions, 72 yards, TD |
| Texas A&M | Passing | | 17/28, 189 yards, TD |
| Rushing | | 8 rushes, 117 yards |
| Receiving | Caleb Chapman | 4 receptions, 40 yards, TD | |
No. 20 LSU
See also: 2020 LSU Tigers football team.
| Statistics | LSU | VAN |
|---|
| First downs | 28 | 17 |
| Total yards | 498 | 266 |
| Rushing yards | 161 | 153 |
| Passing yards | 337 | 113 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 29:13 | 30:47 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| LSU | Passing | | 23/37, 337 yards, 4 TD, INT |
| Rushing | John Emery Jr. | 12 rushes, 103 yards, T |
| Receiving | | 2 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 11/25, 113 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Ja'Veon Marlow | 17 rushes, 83 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 63 yards | |
South Carolina
See also: 2020 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.
| Statistics | SC | VAN |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Total yards | 485 | 249 |
| Rushing yards | 289 | 76 |
| Passing yards | 196 | 173 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 31:27 | 28:33 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| South Carolina | Passing | | 16/24, 196 yards |
| Rushing | | 21 rushes, 171 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 85 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 17/24, 148 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 13 rushes, 72 yards |
| Receiving | Amir Abdur-Rahman | 2 receptions, 46 yards | |
Ole Miss
See also: 2020 Ole Miss Rebels football team.
| Statistics | MISS | VAN |
|---|
| First downs | 35 | 24 |
| Total yards | 641 | 421 |
| Rushing yards | 192 | 102 |
| Passing yards | 449 | 319 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 29:52 | 30:08 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Ole Miss | Passing | | 31/34, 412 yards, 6 TD |
| Rushing | | 15 rushes, 95 yards |
| Receiving | | 14 receptions, 238 yards, 3 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 31/40, 319 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 23 rushes, 66 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 14 receptions, 97 yards | |
At Mississippi State
See also: 2020 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team.
| Statistics | VAN | MSST |
|---|
| First downs | 30 | 14 |
| Total yards | 478 | 204 |
| Rushing yards | 142 | -22 |
| Passing yards | 336 | 226 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 32:10 | 27:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 31/46, 336 yards, TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 20 rushes, 115 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 10 receptions, 114 yards |
| Mississippi State | Passing | | 35/46, 226 yards, TD |
| Rushing | | 6 rushes, 10 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 9 receptions, 79 yards | |
At Kentucky
See also: 2020 Kentucky Wildcats football team.
| Statistics | VAN | UK |
|---|
| First downs | 29 | 23 |
| Total yards | 407 | 458 |
| Rushing yards | 180 | 308 |
| Passing yards | 227 | 150 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 32:26 | 27:34 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 21/32, 225 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 29 rushes, 121 yards |
| Receiving | Amir Abdur-Rahman | 7 receptions, 89 yards |
| Kentucky | Passing | | 13/15, 110 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | | 13 rushes, 149 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Keaton Upshaw | 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD | |
No. 6 Florida
See also: 2020 Florida Gators football team.
| Statistics | FLA | VAN |
|---|
| First downs | 29 | 21 |
| Total yards | 586 | 406 |
| Rushing yards | 173 | 87 |
| Passing yards | 413 | 319 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 34:17 | 25:43 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Florida | Passing | | 26/35, 383 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | | 11 rushes, 55 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 6 receptions, 107 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 22/34, 319 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Mitchell Pryor | 13 rushes, 44 yards |
| Receiving | Chris Pierce Jr. | 4 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD | |
At Missouri
See also: 2020 Missouri Tigers football team.
| Statistics | VAN | MIZ |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 31 |
| Total yards | 185 | 603 |
| Rushing yards | 82 | 223 |
| Passing yards | 103 | 380 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 27:10 | 32:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 11/18, 79 yards |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 15 rushes, 64 yards |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 5 receptions, 33 yards |
| Missouri | Passing | | 30/37, 318 yards |
| Rushing | | 21 rushes, 160 yards, 3 TD |
| Receiving | | 7 receptions, 102 yards | |
Tennessee
See also: 2020 Tennessee Volunteers football team.
| Statistics | TENN | VAN |
|---|
| First downs | 24 | 16 |
| Total yards | 540 | 292 |
| Rushing yards | 212 | 53 |
| Passing yards | 328 | 239 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:37 | 26:23 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Tennessee | Passing | | 14/18, 207 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | | 13 rushes, 74 yards |
| Receiving | | 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Ken Seals | 22/39, 239 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Keyon Henry-Brooks | 20 rushes, 56 yards |
| Receiving | Amir Abdur-Rahman | 3 receptions, 69 yards | |
Players drafted into the NFL
See also: 2021 NFL draft.
Notes and References
- Web site: Sallee . Barrett . Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller makes history as first woman to play in a Power Five college football game . CBSSports.com . 2020-11-28 . 2024-11-27.
- Web site: Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller could be first woman to play in Power 5 football game. ABC News. November 28, 2020.
- Web site: Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller makes history again as first woman to score points in Power Five game . CBSSports.com . December 12, 2020 . en.
- News: Adam. Sparks. Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller becomes first woman to score in Power Five college football game. December 12, 2020. Nashville Tennessean. December 12, 2020.
- Web site: Preseason SEC media poll, All-SEC Team announced. September 23, 2020. SECSports.com. Southeastern Conference.
- Web site: Talty . John . SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season . 30 July 2020 . AL.com . 30 July 2020.
- Web site: Dellenger . Ross . Sources: SEC Adopts Conference-Only Schedule With Sept. 26 Start . 30 July 2020 . Sports Illustrated . 30 July 2020.
- Web site: Dellenger . Ross . SEC's New Schedule: Winners, Losers and... Mizzou . Sports Illustrated . 18 August 2020 . 7 August 2020.
- Web site: Vanderbilt at Missouri Football Game Postponed . October 13, 2020 . SEC.
- 2020 Football Schedule Announced. Vanderbilt University Department of Athletics. August 7, 2019. January 4, 2020.
- News: Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt postponed; Commodores to play Missouri . Blake . Toppmeyer . Adam . Sparks . November 23, 2020 . . . January 11, 2022.
- Web site: Vanderbilt University Football Schedule: 2020 Season . SEC.
