The Finale on Rocky Top

Commodores looking to conclude on a high note

Vanderbilt Commodores (3-8, 1-6)
Tennessee Volunteers (6-5, 4-3)

Nov. 30, 2019 • 3 p.m. CT
Neyland Stadium • 102,455
Knoxville, Tenn.

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Joe Fisher (play-by-play), Norman Jordan (analyst), Mitch Light (sideline)

• Vanderbilt closes the regular season on the road, facing Tennessee this Saturday in Knoxville. The Commodores are looking for their fourth victory of the season, and second in Southeastern Conference play. The Commodores and Volunteers will kick off at 3 p.m. CT in Neyland Stadium.

• This marks the 114th meeting between Vanderbilt and Tennessee. The Commodores have faced the Volunteers more than any other opponent. The series ranks fourth all-time among the SEC’s most played rivalries. Vanderbilt has won the last three games — and five of the last seven — in the series.

• When the Commodores face Tennessee, they will be searching for their 10th consecutive victory against teams from the state of Tennessee. The Commodores have notched wins over Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee State and East Tennessee State during the streak which dates to the 2016 opener.

• Vanderbilt is seeking its eighth November win since 2016.

• Ke’Shawn Vaughn (R-Sr., RB) is among Vanderbilt’s best for rushing touchdowns, rushing yards and 100-yard rushing games in just 23 career appearances. He ranks third in rushing touchdowns (21), fourth in 100-yard rushing games (9) and fifth in rushing yards (2,259). Vaughn is averaging 92.3 yards/game, fifth among SEC running backs. He ranks 12th among active NCAA backs with 3,144 career rushing yards.  With 1,015 rushing yards this year, Vaughn became just the third Vanderbilt back to register multiple 1,000-yard season, joining Ralph Webb (2015-16) and Zac Stacy (2011-12). In his last appearance, Vaughn rushed for 139 yards and two scores against East Tennessee State.

• One year after the graduation of 43-game starting quarterback Kyle Shurmur, the Commodores have faced a revolving door at the position. Due to a string of injuries, three quarterbacks have earned starts this season: Riley Neal (Gr.), Mo Hasan (R-Jr.) and Deuce Wallace (R-Jr.). A fourth quarterback, Allan Walters (R-So.) also has played this season.

• Nineteen student-athletes have earned their first collegiate starts for the Commodores this season: BJ Anderson (R-Fr., CB), Gil Barksdale (Sr., S), Ben Bresnahan (R-Fr., TE), Alex Brown (So., LB), Daevion Davis (Fr., DT), Dan Dawkins (R-Fr., OG), Mo Hasan (R-Jr., QB), Brendon Harris (R-Fr., S), Randall Haynie (R-So., CB), Kenny Hebert (R-Jr., OLB), Dashaun Jerkins (R-Fr., S), Cam Johnson (R-Fr., WR), Jaylen Mahoney (Fr., CB), Sean McMoore (R-Jr., C), Grant Miller (R-So., C), Rutger Reitmaier (R-So., DL), Harrison Smith (R-Fr., punter), Tyler Steen (R-Fr., OT), Jonathan Stewart (R-So., OT) and Deuce Wallace (R-Jr., QB). Four more were first-time starters in a Vanderbilt uniform: Riley Neal (Gr., QB), Justice Shelton-Mosley (Gr., WR), Cam Watkins (Gr., CB) and DC Williams (Jr., CB).

• Twenty-seven student-athletes have logged their first action as Commodores this season: Ben Bresnahan (R-Fr., TE), Keyon Brooks (Fr., RB), Camden Coleman (R-Fr., S), Pierson Cooke (So., K), Daevion Davis (Fr., DT), Tre Douglas (R-Fr., CB), Rowan Godwin (Gr., OL), Justin Harris (Fr., S), Julian Hernandez (Fr., OL), Christian James (Fr., DL), Gabe Jeudy (Fr., CB), Brandon Maddox (Jr., DT), Jaylen Mahoney (Fr., CB), Salua Masina (R-Fr., LB), Elijah McAllister (R-Fr., OLB), Scott Meyer (Gr., LS), Riley Neal (Gr., QB), Anferee Orji (Fr., S), Leshawn Paulino-Bell (R-So., OLB), Mitchell Pryor (So., RB), Javan Rice (R-Fr., K), Cameron Robinson (Jr., DT), Justice Shelton-Mosley (Gr., WR/PR), Keithian Starling (Jr., WR), Allen Walters (R-So., QB), Cam Watkins (Gr., CB) and DC Williams (Jr., CB).

• Of Vanderbilt’s top 16 tacklers, only three — Tae Daley (S), Dimitri Moore (LB) and Dayo Odeyingbo (DL) — started more than five games a year ago. Linebacker Caleb Peart is the only senior among Vanderbilt’s top dozen tacklers.

• Vanderbilt has faced four ranked opponents this season: No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 LSU, No. 22 Missouri and No. 10 Florida. The Commodores are 1-3 in those games.

• The following academic seniors and graduate students on the Vanderbilt football team were recognized last Saturday: S Gil Barksdale, DL Drew Birchmeier, OL Devin Cochran, S Frank Coppet, OL Rowan Godwin, K Ryley Guay, CB Elijah Hamilton, QB Mo Hasan, OLB Kenny Hebert, TE Braden Kopp, WR Kalija Lipscomb, OL Carlton Lorenz, TE Cody Markel, OL Sean McMoore, OLB Andre Mintze, QB Riley Neal, LB Caleb Peart, TE Jared Pinkney, S Austin Quillen, DL Josiah Sa’o, WR Justice Shelton-Mosley, DL Cameron Tidd, RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB Jamauri Wakefield, QB Deuce Wallace, CB Cam Watkins, WR Jackson Winrow, OL Saige Young and DL Eddie Zinn-Turner.

• Vanderbilt Athletics and the Commodore football team also recognized the family of Turner Cockrell, a Class of 2020 tight end, during Senior Day activities. Cockrell passed away on Nov. 29, 2018 after a long battle with melanoma. An 82-hour fundraiser for Turner’s Heroes that started at kickoff of the Vanderbilt-LSU game in mid-September surpassed its goal of $50,000 early in the contest. The non-profit was founded this summer by Vanderbilt senior tight end Cody Markel to honor the legacy of former teammate and classmate Turner Cockrell. The money will fund a discovery grant focused on innovative pediatric cancer research in honor of Cockrell. Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason and his wife, LeighAnne, committed $25,000 to the effort. For more information, visit TurnersHeroes.org.