What Clark Lea, Vanderbilt football said about Tennessee rivalry

Clark Lea has had four chances at beating Tennessee since taking the Vanderbilt football job, but he has yet to be successful.

The Commodores (9-2, 5-2 SEC) lost on the road in 2021 and 2023 and at home in 2022 and 2024. Vanderbilt will head to Knoxville to face No. 18 Tennessee (8-3, 4-3) on Nov. 29 (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN).

The Commodores' College Football Playoff hopes will likely end if they do not beat Tennessee, and a loss would also hurt Diego Pavia's Heisman chances. It's the first matchup with both teams ranked in the history of the rivalry. It could be the most fascinating, meaningful Vanderbilt/Tennessee matchup ever.

"There's a significance to this game," Lea said. "A year ago, it was really significant for us, but also it was Tennessee fighting for that playoff spot. And so I felt like we started with the right emotional energy a year ago when we jumped out to a lead, and we weren't able to hold onto it."

Vanderbilt has 13 players on its roster from the Nashville area and four from East Tennessee.

Junior Sherrill is one of those players from Nashville, having attended Lipscomb Academy. Last year, Sherrill took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown against Tennessee, though Vanderbilt eventually lost, 36-23.

"Me being from Tennessee, having dealt with Tennessee as well, it means a lot coming from the state, just having somebody to put on for the state," Sherrill said. "I have teammates who I actually played with in high school who are on that side of the jersey as well, so it's going to mean a lot to me."

Former Lipscomb Academy stars Edwin Spillman and Kaleb Beasley both play defense for the Vols.

VANDERBILT FOOTBALL ALL-ACCESS: How Clark Lea is turning Vanderbilt football around his way

Lea said he still doesn't feel like he's done his part in the rivalry without getting a single win over the Vols. Josh Heupel's up-tempo offense has given Vanderbilt's defense a handful every time the Commodores have faced it, and other teams that have utilized tempo offense have also given Vanderbilt difficulties this season.

"It's important for us to win the game, to try to create a little back and forth there, that pressure is on us," Lea said. " ... We need to be ready to respond when the noise hits. We need to be ready to respond when the chaos hits. Those things need to shift us into a mindset of focus and execution, and we need to let our play be charged by the emotional moment."

In an offseason podcast appearance, Pavia said Vanderbilt would "run Tennessee," but after a win over Kentucky, Pavia declined to expand on those comments and give the Vols more bulletin board material. Heupel didn't mention the comments by Pavia at all.

Pavia and the Commodores will have to back up their talk on the field. And while Lea has led Vanderbilt to a successful season any way you slice it, a loss to the Vols would leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth and leave Lea with an item missing on his resume.

All that's left to do is win.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football, Clark Lea on Tennessee rivalry