Will Vanderbilt make the College Football Playoff? The Commodores' chances to make the 12-team field explored

Vanderbilt has had a surprising surge this season, emerging as a relatively formidable force in the Southeastern Conference. Considered underdogs for years in the conference, the Commodores have pulled off several upsets, most notably a landmark victory over Alabama.

With another impressive performance in the loss to Texas on Saturday, the program continues to surprise. Here’s a look at the program’s playoff chances.

Will Vanderbilt make the College Football Playoff?

Vanderbilt has undoubtedly impressed this season, however, a playoff spot is not within their reach yet. The Commodores have three losses this season, giving them little to no chance of earning a spot in the highly anticipated postseason tournament.

Clark Lea’s team is also expected to go into the remaining regular season games as the underdog, making their slight playoff chances almost impossible. The team will face Auburn, South Carolina, LSU and Tennessee in the remainder of the 2024 season.

A bowl game qualification is the closest Vanderbilt can achieve in the ongoing season. The team's path to bowl game appears challenging but attainable, given their strong performance this season. They’ll only need to pull just one more upset to achieve their goal.

The Commodores have lost three games this season with a combined 10 points and none of those games were lost by more than four points. This showcased the strength of the team this season and the strong possibility of an upset in any of the upcoming four games.

How has Vanderbilt performed this season so far?

Vanderbilt has been largely impressive in the 2024 college football season, holding a 5-3 record. The Commodores have defeated Alabama, Kentucky and Virginia Tech so far.

Their performance has gained recognition across the landscape from many fans and analysts. The team’s coach Clark Lea reinstated his commitment to taking the program to a higher level following the upset against the Crimson Tide in Week 6.

“I love our university, I love our city, I love our program,” Lea said. “This is why I came back, it’s meant to be emotional because, again, I’ve bled a lot into this and it just feels great to be able to celebrate with the team that I love and care about, and I look forward to doing that more in the future.”

Vanderbilt playoff record by year

Vanderbilt has yet to make an appearance in the CFP in its history. The program made its last bowl game appearance in 2018, showcasing its struggles over the year.