1974 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

The 1974 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The Commodores scored 313 points while allowing 199 points.[1] Led by head coach Steve Sloan, the Commodores had their best record since 1955 and appeared in the school's second bowl game. Vanderbilt did not return to a bowl game until 1982.

1974 Vanderbilt Commodores football
Peach Bowl, T 6–6 vs. Texas Tech
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record7–3–2 (2–3–1 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRex Dockery (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorBill Parcells (2nd season)
CaptainDavid Lee
Home stadiumDudley Field
Seasons
← 1973
1975 →
1974 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Alabama $ 6 0 0 11 1 0
No. 8 Auburn 4 2 0 10 2 0
Georgia 4 2 0 6 6 0
No. 17 Mississippi State 3 3 0 9 3 0
No. 15 Florida 3 3 0 8 4 0
Kentucky 3 3 0 6 5 0
No. 20 Tennessee 2 3 1 7 3 2
Vanderbilt 2 3 1 7 3 2
LSU 2 4 0 5 5 1
Ole Miss 0 6 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Vanderbilt defeated Florida, Ole Miss, Tulane, Louisville, Army, Chattanooga, and the Virginia Military Institute.[2] Vanderbilt lost to Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama. Vanderbilt's final two games ended in ties: the regular season finale against rival Tennessee and the 1974 Peach Bowl against Texas Tech.[3] Vanderbilt's final record was 7–3–2 (2–3–1 in the SEC).[4] After the season, head coach Steve Sloan left Vanderbilt to become head coach at Texas Tech, the team Vanderbilt had faced in the Peach Bowl to close the season.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 14Chattanooga*W 28–619,900[5]
September 21VMI*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 45–716,500[6]
September 28at No. 4 AlabamaL 10–2358,419[7][8]
October 12No. 8 Florida
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 24–1025,800[9]
October 19at GeorgiaL 31–3851,100[10]
October 26Ole Miss
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 24–1430,875[11]
November 2at Army*W 38–1430,109[12]
November 9at KentuckyL 12–3856,000[13]
November 16Tulane*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 30–2215,000[14]
November 23at Louisville*W 44–08,936[15]
November 30Tennessee
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
T 21–2135,300[16]
December 28vs. Texas Tech*ABCT 6–631,695[17]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[18][19]

Team players drafted into the NFL

edit
Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Mark Ilgenfritz Defensive end 5 118 Cleveland Browns
Doug Nettles Defensive end 5 129 Baltimore Colts

[20]

References

edit
  1. ^ "1974 Vanderbilt game by game results". Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  2. ^ "1974 Vanderbilt game by game results". Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  3. ^ "1974 Vanderbilt game by game results". Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  4. ^ "1974 Vanderbilt game by game results". Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  5. ^ "Nothing routine about VU's win". The Tennessean. September 15, 1974. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Vandy runs over VMI". The Sun Herald. September 22, 1974. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Martin, Steve (September 29, 1974). "Vandy proves it can play too". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 1A. Retrieved July 5, 2014 – via Google News Archives.
  8. ^ Johnson, Randy (September 29, 1974). "Alabama passing is key factor in 23–10 victory over Vandy". The Gadsden Times. p. 37. Retrieved July 5, 2014 – via Google News Archives.
  9. ^ "Vanderbilt upsets Gators". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. October 13, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Vandy falls to Bulldogs". Bristol Herald Courier. October 20, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Vandy decks Rebels 24–14". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. October 27, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "O'Rourke keys Vandy past Army by 38–14". The Courier-Journal. November 3, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Kentucky pops Vandy". The Sunday Express-News. November 10, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Lee-to-Burton pass gives Vandy 30–22 victory". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 17, 1974. Retrieved October 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Vandy crushes Louisville". The Tampa Tribune. November 24, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Tennessee ties fumbling Vandy in final 7 seconds". The Courier-Journal. December 1, 1974. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Vandy, Red Raiders battle to 6–6 stalemate in Peach Bowl". Valley Morning Star. December 29, 1974. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "1974 Vanderbilt game by game results". Archived from the original on September 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  19. ^ 1974 Vanderbilt Commodores Schedule and Results
  20. ^ "1975 NFL Draft Listing | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.