March 13, 2007
2007 Football Season Tickets Starting at $99
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Nashville, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt football team will host Miami (Ohio) of the Mid-American Conference this October instead of another team from the conference that was originally scheduled.
Vanderbilt and Miami (Ohio) will renew their football series in Nashville on Oct. 27, 2007. Previously, the Commodores were scheduled to play Kent State of the MAC Conference on that date.
The schedule change became necessary when the MAC Conference office scheduled extra non-conference games with several of its members. The Vanderbilt-Kent State game was one such game.
When Vanderbilt officials learned of the conflict in February, Vanderbilt Director of Sport Operations Brian Reese quickly worked with Kent State, Miami of Ohio and other MAC Conference athletic directors to remedy the problem.
“Our preference was to maintain the original schedule. When it became obvious that was not going to occur, Miami clearly became our best option. Our primary goal was to keep the 2007 home date. We were able to do that by renewing the series with Miami,” Reese said.
The teams have split two previous games. In the most recent game, Miami won 33-30 in Nashville to open the 2000 season.
Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson said Miami would be a formidable opponent for his squad. “Coach (Shane) Montgomery does an excellent job and guided their squad to a share of the conference title two years ago. Miami will be a great challenge for our squad. Miami’s outstanding tradition is evident by the number of great coaches that served the university,” he said.
Miami athletics officials also endorsed the renewal of the series.
“The addition of a Southeastern Conference team to our 2007 and 2008 schedules will be a great draw for our fans. Over the next three years, our fans will see the likes of the Big Ten, SEC, Big East and Big 12 play in their own backyard,” Miami coach Montgomery said.
“Our agreement with Vanderbilt University is a historical moment within our storied football program,” Miami Director of Athletics Brad Bates said. “For a BCS school from the powerful Southeastern Conference to play a home-home series with Miami University is indicative of the national regard our program has earned. We are very grateful to Vanderbilt University for the opportunity and especially pleased that two highly-respected institutions of higher learning will have the opportunity to showcase their scholars on the gridiron.” Before deciding to guide the Miami athletic department four years ago, Bates served as an associate A.D. at Vanderbilt.
As part of the agreement with Miami (Ohio), Vanderbilt will travel to Oxford to open the 2008 season on Thursday, Aug. 28. Vanderbilt’s first two games in 2008 – at Miami (Ohio) and vs. South Carolina in Nashville – will feature Thursday night kickoff. The Vanderbilt-USC game is scheduled Sept. 4.
Vanderbilt was originally scheduled to play the newest MAC member, Temple, in the 2008 season opener. That game has been rescheduled to the 2014 season.
Vanderbilt keeps intact its first eight-game home schedule in more than 100 years. Besides playing SEC foes Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia and Kentucky in Nashville, the Commodores will host Richmond on Sept. 1, MAC foe Eastern Michigan on Sept. 29, Miami (OH) on Oct. 27, and Wake Forest on Nov. 24.
2007 Vanderbilt Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
Sept.1 Richmond Vanderbilt Stadium
Sept. 8 ALABAMA Vanderbilt Stadium
Sept. 15 OLE MISS Vanderbilt Stadium
Sept. 22 Open
Sept. 29 Eastern Michigan Vanderbilt Stadium
Oct. 6 AUBURN Auburn, Ala.
Oct. 13 GEORGIA Vanderbilt Stadium
Oct. 20 SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia, S.C.
Oct. 27 Miami (Ohio) Vanderbilt Stadium
Nov. 3 FLORIDA Gainesville, Fla.
Nov. 10 KENTUCKY Vanderbilt Stadium
Nov. 17 TENNESSEE Knoxville, Tenn.
Nov. 24 Wake Forest Vanderbilt Stadium