NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — For the first time in almost 80 years, Vanderbilt football has cracked the AP top 10.

After a decisive win against LSU on Saturday, the Commodores are now ranked as the No. 10 college football team in the nation.

The last time Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC) was ranked this high was 1947.

“We’re unapologetic about our desire to go further than anyone thought possible,” Vanderbilt University Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee said.

Storey Lee said this is the vision she and Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea had in mind when they teamed up in 2021.

It’s been a long process, but one they never doubted would pay off.

“I believe it was at Clark’s first media day, first SEC media day, where he proclaimed to the world that Vanderbilt football would be the best college football program in the country. And that was met with some giggling and some eye-rolling,” Storey Lee recalled. “I love that we’ve always had a chip on our shoulder, and we’ve always believed that we can do it.”

There’s no denying that Vanderbilt football has arrived in 2025. Despite the hype and national recognition, Storey Lee stopped short of calling this a peak moment for their program.

Her department expects sustained success.

“It is hard when… your biggest opponent is a historical narrative,” Storey Lee said. “We definitely don’t take winning for granted, but our goal is to be the blueprint for college athletics. We’re not there yet. We’re not taking a victory lap.”

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt students acknowledge the surreality of the moment.

“(It’s a) once in a lifetime situation, for sure,” said Fumni Adepegba, a member of Vanderbilt’s dance team.

“Vandy is like America’s team; everybody’s rooting for us. It’s really exciting that it’s our time to shine now,” added Devin Smith, a Vanderbilt cheerleader.

At a time when so many are divided, Storey Lee said Vanderbilt has found a common denominator on campus: a love and pride for the football team.

“Your football program ends up being such a big megaphone for your brand, your values,” Storey Lee said. “There’s no question. The shift in energy is palatable. It’s awesome. It’s awesome. And Vanderbilt deserves that; Nashville deserves that. We all deserve that.”

This past weekend, before Vanderbilt beat LSU, Lee told News 2 that a fan stopped her, grabbed her by the hands and started to cry; he couldn’t believe the team he’s loved for so long had actually reached a point of relevance.

Adding to all the emotion and excitement surrounding Vandy football: ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Nashville on Saturday morning for the first time since 2008 to preview their matchup with No. 15 Missouri.

It’s unknown yet where the crews will set up, but the show will start at 8 a.m.

The Commodores haven’t started a season winning seven of eight games since 1905, before the forward pass was legalized.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/sports/vandy-athletics/vandy-enters-ap-top-10-for-first-time-since-1947/