Clark Lea reflects on what College GameDay, premier matchups can do for Vanderbilt program

The Vanderbilt Commodores are preparing to host not just the Missouri Tigers this weekend, but ESPN College GameDay as well. It’s a sign not just of where the program is now but how far they’ve come under head coach Clark Lea.

Ahead of Saturday, Lea was asked to reflect on what this meant for the Vanderbilt program. However, he pushed back on that kind of reflection and, instead, wanted to stay focused on this year’s team and the task at hand every week.

“For me, I caution against when you frame that as for the program,” Clark Lea said. “I think there’s a bigger picture connotation there that I, maybe it’s just my inability to think that way. I’m focused solely on this team. This specific team and what we need from this group. The challenge of any disappointing result is you can’t hold onto it too long. I think we identified things in that Alabama game that we did not like about how we played.”

The reality is that Clark Lea has taken massive strides at Vanderbilt. Inheriting a team that had gone 3-18 in the two seasons before he got there, it took some time for him to get the program off the ground amid dealing with changes in college football, like NIL and the Transfer Portal. In 2024, however, Lea seemed to get the program to take off with a massive upset win over Alabama. By the time they beat LSU at home last week, fans didn’t even charge the field. Moving to 6-1 this season was an expectation.

Now, Vanderbilt has another premier SEC game with Missouri coming to Nashville. There, a win would go a long way to making the Commodores a real threat to make the SEC Championship and even the College Football Playoff.

“Obviously, they’re a really good opponent, but all these teams are going to be good. So, what we want to do is keep our long-term goals in reach. What we want to do is find the potential of this team. To do that, we need to show a consistency in our process, and by the time we’re lining up on Saturday, I really want these guys to have fun. I want them playing loose and free and together. That’s when we’re at our best,” Lea said.

“When you start to search too hard for those kinds of big picture, the program needs, kind of stuff, I think you start to really grip it tight. And I think when you grip it tight, it’s hard to breathe and it’s hard to play the way we need to play.”

The College Football Playoff is very much on the table now for Vanderbilt. At 6-1, the Commodores can add another premier win this weekend. After that, it’s not an easy schedule but if they can finish the season 10-2, then they’re in a good spot in the 12-team field.

“We’re excited about the challenge Missouri presents. We’re excited about the moment we’re in, in our program. I do think we need to enjoy that. Then, we need to just pour into our preparation and have as much fun as we can on Saturday. What I know about this group is I trust them. They care so much about what we’re doing that no matter what comes each week, week in and week out,” Lea said. “I’m going to have a group of guys that are standing side by side with me ready to continue to grow, evolve, and attack what’s next. I think that’s kind of the beautiful part of what seasons allow you to do. Your team is revealed. We celebrate the parts of it that are good and we improve the parts that aren’t. Each week you get to learn a little more about it.”

Kickoff against Missouri is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 25th. Of course, it will be an early morning for Vanderbilt fans who will want to be ready for College GameDay at 9:00 a.m. EST.

“So, definitely a cool moment for us,” Lea said. “But again, I caution against anything that makes this bigger than one game in our season. We’re on Saturday, and I need a team that’s going out and having fun and playing the game free.”