NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech will face off in the 2024 and 2025 season openers, both schools announced Tuesday.
The Commodores and Hokies will open the 2024 campaign in Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Aug. 31. The 2025 opener, scheduled for Aug. 30, will be played in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.
“We are excited about opening the 2024 and 2025 seasons against one of the nation’s leading programs for the last 25 years in Virginia Tech,” Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason said. “Those openers will be great opportunities for our football program.”
Vanderbilt also announced two more opponents for future season openers – Austin Peay on Sept. 6, 2026, and Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 4, 2027. Both games will be played in Vanderbilt Stadium.
The 2024 opener will mark Vanderbilt’s sixth appearance in Nissan Stadium where the Commodores played in the Music City Bowl in 2008 and 2012, along with regular-season appearances against Tennessee (2000, 2002) and Ole Miss (2014). Vanderbilt is 2-3 all-time at Nissan Stadium.
“We are excited to play host to Virginia Tech at Nissan Stadium,” said Malcolm Turner, Vanderbilt vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director. “Vanderbilt University and the city of Nashville are on the move and we’ve received tremendous support from the Tennessee Titans and our city partners for this community event that will provide a tremendous economic impact for Middle Tennessee. This is a win-win for both Vanderbilt and Nashville.”
Playing the 2024 opener in Nissan Stadium has the full support of Tennessee Titans management.
“We have been aggressive about bringing great events to Nissan Stadium – from concerts to soccer matches to college football games,” Titans CEO and president Steve Underwood said. “This is another example of that and we are thrilled to be able to host a Vanderbilt home game against Virginia Tech. We look forward to working with both teams on this event and providing a great atmosphere for the game.”
The 2024 game will mark the 10th played in the Vanderbilt-Virginia Tech series and first since a 1989 affair in Blacksburg. The Hokies hold a 6-3 series advantage.
To accommodate the Virginia Tech series, Vanderbilt has moved two games with Stanford originally scheduled in 2024-25 to Stanford, California, on Sept. 4, 2032, and Nashville on Sept. 3, 2033. The Commodores and Cardinal also have games scheduled Sept. 18, 2021, at Vanderbilt and Sept. 11, 2027, at Stanford.
Vanderbilt also is renewing rivalries with Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky. Vanderbilt is 2-0 against Austin Peay with the most recent game coming in 2015. Vanderbilt and Eastern Kentucky have played once previously with the Commodores earning a win in 2004.
