2011Vanderbilt Commodores football
Liberty Bowl,L 24–31 vs.Cincinnati
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Eastern Division
Record	6–7 (2–6 SEC)
Head coach	James Franklin (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	John Donovan (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Bob Shoop (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Brent Pry (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	5 Kyle Fischer Casey Hayward Chris Marve Larry Smith Carey Spear
Home stadium	Vanderbilt Stadium
Seasons ← 2010 2012 →

The2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team representedVanderbilt University during the2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their seven home games atVanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field inNashville, Tennessee, which has been Vanderbilt football's home stadium since 1922.^[1] The team's head coach wasJames Franklin, who was in his first year at Vanderbilt. Hired at Vanderbilt on December 17, 2010, he was previously theoffensive coordinator and "head coach in waiting" at theUniversity of Maryland.^[2] Vanderbilt has been a member of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in the conference's Eastern Division since its formation for the1992 season. Vanderbilt completed the 2011 regular season with an overall record of 6–6 and a mark of 2–6 in conference play, finishing in a tie withKentucky for fourth place in the SEC East. They were invited to theLiberty Bowl where they were defeated byCincinnati 24–31 to finish the season 6–7. 2011. The seniors of the 2011 Vanderbilt football team became the first class in program history to qualify for twobowl games while at the school. Vanderbilt had only been to bowls in 1955 vs.Auburn, 1974 vs.Texas Tech, 1982 vs.Air Force, and 2008 vs.Boston College.

At the end of the 2010 season, head coachRobbie Caldwell resigned from Vanderbilt.^[3] After a long nationwide coaching search, in whichGus Malzahn,Auburn'soffensive coordinator, nearly accepted the job,^[4] James Franklin was hired as the 27th head football coach at Vanderbilt University.^[5] Franklin proceeded to hireJohn Donovan as the new offensive coordinator andBob Shoop as the newdefensive coordinator. Franklin also retained Herb Hand asoffensive line coach from the previous Vanderbilt staff, and hiredChris Beatty fromWest Virginia, who had beenPercy Harvin's high school coach, as the newwide receivers coach.^[6]

On February 2, 2011, Franklin announced a football recruiting class of 21 athletes. The class has been hailed as one of the best in Vanderbilt football history,^[7] especially because Vanderbilt was able to persuade several prospects from larger and nationally known schools, such as Lafonte Thourogood from Virginia Tech, Dillon Van der Wal from Arizona State, and Barron Dixon from Mississippi State.^[8] Lafonte Thourogood and Dillon van der Wal were both rated as four star recruits by Scout.com.^[9]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	6:30 p.m.	Elon*	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	CSS	W45–14	27,599
September 10	6:30 p.m.	Connecticut*	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	CSS	W24–21	32,119
September 17	11:21 a.m.	Ole Miss	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry)	SECN	W30–7	34,579
September 24	6:00 p.m.	at No. 12South Carolina	Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	ESPN2	L3–21	77,015
October 8	6:00 p.m.	at No. 2Alabama	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	ESPNU	L0–34	101,821
October 15	6:00 p.m.	Georgia	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry)	FS South	L28–33	36,640
October 22	6:00 p.m.	Army*	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	ESPNU	W44–21	32,210
October 29	11:21 a.m.	No. 8Arkansas	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	SECN	L28–31	33,247
November 5	11:21 a.m.	atFlorida	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL	SECN	L21–26	90,144
November 12	11:21 a.m.	Kentucky	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN (rivalry)	SECN	W38–8	33,718
November 19	6:00 p.m.	atTennessee	Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry)	ESPNU	L21–27OT	91,367
November 26	2:30 p.m.	atWake Forest*	BB&T Field Winston-Salem, NC	ESPNU	W41–7	28,020
December 31	2:30 p.m.	vs.Cincinnati*	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Liberty Bowl)	ABC	L24–31	57,103
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings fromAP Poll released prior to the game All times are inCentral time

^[10]

This game marked the first meeting between these schools.

This was the third meeting between these schools. Vandy holds a one-game lead in the series at 2 wins to 1 loss.

One of college football's oldest rivalries, Vanderbilt and Old Miss have played 85 times since 1894. Vandy won the first 19 of those games, and Ole Miss did not score in the first ten games. Vandy trails at 37–47–2 Vandy won last game 30–7.

Vandy first played USC in 1961, but they did not play each other again until 1992. They have played each year since, with Vandy losing the first seven games. Vandy trails the overall series 4–16, and USC has won the last two games. The score of the most recent game was 3–21 in favor of South Carolina.

Vandy has played Alabama 78 times since 1903. Vandy won the first five games, but have only won ten more times since. Vandy trails the all-time series 15–59–4. Alabama has won the last 20 games (the 1993 games was forfeited). They last played in 2007, with the result a 10–24 Alabama win.

Vandy has been playing Georgia almost every year since 1893. Vandy trails 18–51–2 all-time. Georgia has won the last three games, and the last game was 10–34 Georgia.

Army and Vandy have played eight games since 1968. The series is tied at 4 games each. In 2009, Army won their last meeting in overtime, 13–16.

^[11]

Vandy has played Arkansas eight times since 1949. Vandy trails the series 2–6, and Arkansas has won the last two last games. The last game was an Arkansas win, 14–49. Vanderbilt had a chance to tie the game with :12 left in the 4th quarter, but Carey Spear missed a 27-yard field goal and hooked it right. The Hogs survived their second upset of the season, with Ole Miss being their first.

Vandy and Florida have been playing since 1945. Vandy trails 9–33–2, and Vandy has lost the last 20 games. In their last meeting, Florida won 14–55.

Vandy and Kentucky have played 83 times since 1896. Vandy won the first nine games, and Kentucky did not score on Vandy for the first eleven games. Vandy trails 38–41–4, and Kentucky has won the last two games. The last game was a 20–38 Kentucky victory.

Vandy and Tennessee have played 105 times. Vandy did not lose for the first 12 games, but since 1928 UT has dominated the series. Overall, Vandy trails 27–72–5. Tennessee has won the last five games in the series, and the last game was a 10–24 Tennessee win.

Vandy and Wake Forest have played 13 times since 1964, and this is the only series in which Vandy plays during the 2011 football season that Vandy holds the all-time lead in, at 7–6–0. Wake, however, has won the last three. The last game was a 13–34 Wake Forest win.

Vanderbilt and Cincinnati had met six times, dating back to 1898. Cincinnati holds the lead with 4 wins.

• 2011 Southeastern Conference football season
• Vanderbilt Commodores football seasons
• 2011 in sports in Tennessee
• 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee

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