Vanderbilt football is on the rise under Clark Lea, highlighted by a potential College Football Playoff berth and marquee recruiting wins that signal a new era for the program.

The Commodores will have a new quarterback on campus for the 2026 season and it’s five-star Jared Curtis, of Nashville Christian School.

Vanderbilt football is becoming a real deal in the SEC. They are on the verge of making the College Football Playoff this season; however, they need some crucial dominoes to fall in order to get the nod. They are currently 14th in the rankings.

Here's where Vanderbilt football stands in the College Football Playoff rankings after ending the regular season with a win over Tennessee.

Vanderbilt Commodores rank 14th in the College Football Playoff standings with a 10-2 record after beating Tennessee, as they await Selection Day for a potential playoff spot.

The Heisman hopeful has called on President Donald Trump to expand the CFP by way of an executive order.

Vanderbilt football flipped 3-star wide receiver Owen Cabell of Christ Presbyterian Academy from Alabama. Cabell is 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds. He helps fulfill the program's need for standout wide receivers that has dated back to the beginning of the Clark Lea era. He is the No. 630 player nationally.

Here's a look at which bowl games Vanderbilt is projected to play in if the Commodores are left out of the College Football Playoff.

Diego Pavia asked President Trump to expand the College Football Playoff as Vanderbilt fights for a spot in the field