Vanderbilt remaining schedule: Could Diego Pavia and Commodores get into the College Football Playoff?

David Suggs

Vanderbilt remaining schedule: Could Diego Pavia and Commodores get into the College Football Playoff? image

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Vanderbilt continues to find a way to win.

It may not always be pretty. It may not always be efficient. But the Vanderbilt Commodores have proven one of college football's most resilient sides in 2025.

Clark Lea's bunch added to its impressive record with a momentous 17-10 win over No. 15 Missouri on Saturday. The result proved historic for the No. 10 Commodores; it hadn't claimed a win as a top-10 side since 1947.

At 7-1, Vanderbilt's record belies its dominance in college football's toughest conference. A few more victories could lead the Commodores to heights they could only dream of years ago.

Here's what you need to know.

Vanderbilt remaining schedule

After claiming victories in seven of their first eight games, the Commodores find themselves in prime position to potentially run the table and secure a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Vanderbilt has four games left in the regular season. Two will come against unranked teams — the Commodores travel to Austin to take on No. 22 Texas next week, followed by home tilts against Auburn and Kentucky. They'll finish their year with a road duel against No. 17 Tennessee on Nov. 29.

Vanderbilt doesn't quite control its own destiny if it hopes to score a spot in the SEC Championship. The Commodores will need plenty of chaos to secure a top-two place in the conference. However, if they down each of their remaining four opponents, that should be enough to lock down a place in the CFP.

Here's a look at Vanderbilt's results thus far.

DateOpponentResult
08/30vs. Charleston SouthernW, 45-3
09/06at Virginia TechW, 44-20
09/13at No. 11 South CarolinaW, 31-7
09/20vs. Georgia StateW, 70-21
09/27vs. Utah StateW, 55-35
10/4at No. 10 AlabamaL, 30-14
10/18vs. No. 10 LSUW, 31-24
10/25vs. No. 15 MissouriW, 17-10

And here's a look at their slate to end the year.

DateOpponentTime (ET)
11/1at No. 22 Texas12 p.m.
11/8vs. AuburnTBD
11/22at KentuckyTBD
11/29at No. 17 TennesseeTBD

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Vanderbilt football strength of schedule and playoff odds

Vanderbilt has enjoyed a glistening campaign thus far, with a defeat against Alabama the only thing separating it from perfection.

The Commodores have already nabbed wins against a trio of top-15 teams (No. 11 South Carolina, No. 10 LSU, No. 15 Missouri). The latter two matchups proved tight affairs — Vanderbilt escaped by a single-score in each game. But winning close games is a skill. And Lea's program has certainly proved it can handle the challenge.

It's feasible to believe that Vandy could be the favorites in each of its final four matches. Wins against Texas and Tennessee would add to the Commodores' impressive record against top-25 teams this year. You'd have to imagine that would be hard for the CFP committee to ignore.

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