# 2022 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

The 2022 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Clark Lea.
Vanderbilt started the season off with a 2–0 record for the first time in four years.

## Schedule

Vanderbilt and the SEC announced the 2022 football schedule on September 21, 2021.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 27 | 9:30 p.m. | at Hawaii* | Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics ComplexHonolulu, HI | CBSSN | W 63–10 | 9,346 |
| September 3 | 6:00 p.m. | Elon* | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN | SECN+/ESPN+ | W 42–31 | 20,120 |
| September 10 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 23 Wake Forest* | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN (SEC Nation) | SECN | L 25–45 | 24,431 |
| September 17 | 2:30 p.m. | at Northern Illinois* | Huskie StadiumDeKalb, IL | CBSSN | W 38–28 | 14,110 |
| September 24 | 6:30 p.m. | at No. 2 Alabama | Bryant–Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL | SECN | L 3–55 | 96,246 |
| October 8 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 9 Ole Miss | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN (rivalry) | SECN | L 28–52 | 31,567 |
| October 15 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 1 Georgia | Sanford StadiumAthens, GA (rivalry) | SECN | L 0–55 | 92,746 |
| October 22 | 3:00 p.m. | at Missouri | Faurot FieldColumbia, MO | SECN | L 14–17 | 60,618 |
| November 5 | 6:30 p.m. | South Carolina | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN | SECN | L 27–38 | 28,553 |
| November 12 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 24 Kentucky | Kroger FieldLexington, KY (rivalry) | SECN | W 24–21 | 57,474 |
| November 19 | 11:00 a.m. | Florida | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN | SECN | W 31–24 | 30,136 |
| November 26 | 6:30 p.m. | No. 10 Tennessee | FirstBank StadiumNashville, TN (rivalry) | SECN | L 0–56 | 40,350 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after November 1) - Released prior to gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### At Hawaii

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 14 | 7 | 35 | 7 | 63 |
| Rainbow Warriors | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Statistics | VAN | HAW |
| First downs | 28 | 20 |
| Total yards | 601 | 358 |
| Rushing yards | 404 | 108 |
| Passing yards | 197 | 250 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 31:03 | 28:57 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 13/21, 146 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Mike Wright | 13 rushes, 163 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 3 receptions, 39 yards, 2 TD |
| Hawaii | Passing | Brayden Schager | 18/35, 161 yards |
| Hawaii | Rushing | Dedrick Parson | 13 rushes, 82 yards, TD |
| Hawaii | Receiving | Jonah Panoke | 7 receptions, 101 yards |

### Elon

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Phoenix | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Commodores | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Statistics | ELON | VAN |
| First downs | 23 | 17 |
| Total yards | 495 | 424 |
| Rushing yards | 152 | 179 |
| Passing yards | 343 | 245 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 34:29 | 25:27 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Elon | Passing | Matthew McKay | 19/32, 333 yards, 2 TD |
| Elon | Rushing | Matthew McKay | 13 rushes, 52 yards, 2 TD |
| Elon | Receiving | Jackson Parham | 8 receptions, 143 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 18/29, 245 yards, 4 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 20 rushes, 95 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Jayden McGowan | 4 receptions, 118 yards, TD |

### No. 23 Wake Forest

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 23 Demon Deacons | 14 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 45 |
| Commodores | 3 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 25 |
| Statistics | WAKE | VAN |
| First downs | 21 | 11 |
| Total yards | 451 | 294 |
| Rushing yards | 151 | 113 |
| Passing yards | 300 | 181 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 30:13 | 29:47 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Wake Forest | Passing | Sam Hartman | 18/27, 300 yards, 4 TD |
| Wake Forest | Rushing | Quinton Cooley | 9 rushes, 57 yards, TD |
| Wake Forest | Receiving | A. T. Perry | 5 receptions, 142 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 8/11, 146 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 18 rushes, 87 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Jayden McGowan | 3 receptions, 56 yards |

### At Northern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 7 | 7 | 21 | 3 | 38 |
| Huskies | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Statistics | VAN | NIU |
| First downs | 21 | 17 |
| Total yards | 428 | 354 |
| Rushing yards | 173 | 151 |
| Passing yards | 255 | 203 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:39 | 29:21 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 18/28, 255 yards, 4 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 23 rushes, 116 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 10 receptions, 171 yards, TD |
| Northern Illinois | Passing | Ethan Hampton | 12/19, 124 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Northern Illinois | Rushing | Antario Brown | 8 rushes, 60 yards, TD |
| Northern Illinois | Receiving | Cole Tucker | 4 receptions, 88 yards, 2 TD |

### At No. 2 Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| No. 2 Crimson Tide | 14 | 17 | 10 | 14 | 55 |
| Statistics | VAN | ALA |
| First downs | 9 | 34 |
| Total yards | 129 | 628 |
| Rushing yards | 14 | 228 |
| Passing yards | 115 | 400 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 27:43 | 32:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 13/26, 115 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Rocko Griffin | 3 rushes, 19 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 3 receptions, 52 yards |
| Alabama | Passing | Bryce Young | 25/36, 385 yards, 4 TD |
| Alabama | Rushing | Jase McClellan | 11 rushes, 78 yards, TD |
| Alabama | Receiving | Ja'Corey Brooks | 6 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TD |

### No. 9 Ole Miss

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 9 Rebels | 3 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 52 |
| Commodores | 3 | 17 | 0 | 8 | 28 |
| Statistics | MISS | VAN |
| First downs | 22 | 21 |
| Total yards | 591 | 403 |
| Rushing yards | 143 | 122 |
| Passing yards | 448 | 281 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 18:43 | 41:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Ole Miss | Passing | Jaxson Dart | 25/32, 448 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Ole Miss | Rushing | Zach Evans | 11 rushes, 80 yards, TD |
| Ole Miss | Receiving | Jonathan Mingo | 9 receptions, 247 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 27/38, 281 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 27 rushes, 105 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Jayden McGowan | 7 receptions, 104 yards, TD |

### At No. 1 Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 1 Bulldogs | 14 | 14 | 6 | 21 | 55 |
| Statistics | VAN | UGA |
| First downs | 10 | 30 |
| Total yards | 150 | 579 |
| Rushing yards | 45 | 192 |
| Passing yards | 105 | 387 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 21:00 | 39:00 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 12/23, 105 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 12 rushes, 29 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 3 receptions, 45 yards |
| Georgia | Passing | Stetson Bennett | 24/30, 289 yards, 2 TD |
| Georgia | Rushing | Daijun Edwards | 10 rushes, 49 yards, TD |
| Georgia | Receiving | Darnell Washington | 4 receptions, 78 yards |

### At Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Tigers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Statistics | VAN | MIZ |
| First downs | 16 | 19 |
| Total yards | 299 | 308 |
| Rushing yards | 57 | 97 |
| Passing yards | 242 | 211 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 31:03 | 28:57 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 9/15, 127 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 15 rushes, 28 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Gamarion Carter | 1 reception, 80 yards, TD |
| Missouri | Passing | Brady Cook | 17/25, 211 yards, TD, INT |
| Missouri | Rushing | Cody Schrader | 14 rushes, 84 yards |
| Missouri | Receiving | Luther Burden III | 4 receptions, 66 yards, TD |

### South Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 17 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
| Commodores | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
| Statistics | SC | VAN |
| First downs | 17 | 24 |
| Total yards | 492 | 454 |
| Rushing yards | 208 | 226 |
| Passing yards | 284 | 228 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 29:13 | 30:47 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| South Carolina | Passing | Spencer Rattler | 18/26, 200 yards, 3 TD |
| South Carolina | Rushing | Jaheim Bell | 16 rushes, 56 yards |
| South Carolina | Receiving | Antwane Wells Jr. | 4 receptions, 110 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 10/18, 127 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 20 rushes, 167 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 6 receptions, 95 yards |

### At No. 24 Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Commodores | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| No. 24 Wildcats | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 21 |
| Statistics | VAN | UK |
| First downs | 18 | 16 |
| Total yards | 448 | 322 |
| Rushing yards | 264 | 213 |
| Passing yards | 184 | 109 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:15 | 26:45 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 12/23, 184 yards, TD, INT |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 26 rushes, 129 yards, TD |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 5 receptions, 88 yards, TD |
| Kentucky | Passing | Will Levis | 11/23, 109 yards, INT |
| Kentucky | Rushing | Chris Rodriguez Jr. | 18 rushes, 162 yards, 2 TD |
| Kentucky | Receiving | Tayvion Robinson | 5 receptions, 49 yards |

### Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gators | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 24 |
| Commodores | 0 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
| Statistics | FLA | VAN |
| First downs | 20 | 18 |
| Total yards | 445 | 283 |
| Rushing yards | 45 | 175 |
| Passing yards | 400 | 108 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 26:34 | 33:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Florida | Passing | Anthony Richardson | 25/42, 400 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Florida | Rushing | Montrell Johnson Jr. | 11 rushes, 32 yards |
| Florida | Receiving | Daejon Reynolds | 8 receptions, 165 yards, 2 TD |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | Mike Wright | 10/16, 108 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 30 rushes, 122 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Ben Bresnahan | 1 reception, 28 yards, TD |

### No. 10 Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Volunteers | 14 | 7 | 21 | 14 | 56 |
| Commodores | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statistics | TENN | VAN |
| First downs | 16 | 17 |
| Total yards | 513 | 254 |
| Rushing yards | 362 | 147 |
| Passing yards | 151 | 107 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 16:15 | 43:45 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Tennessee | Passing | Joe Milton | 11/21, 147 yards, TD |
| Tennessee | Rushing | Jaylen Wright | 5 rushes, 160 yards, 2 TD |
| Tennessee | Receiving | Jalin Hyatt | 3 receptions, 86 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Passing | AJ Swann | 11/17, 79 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Rushing | Ray Davis | 21 rushes, 60 yards |
| Vanderbilt | Receiving | Will Sheppard | 6 receptions, 48 yards |

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Vanderbilt in current position |
| Clark Lea | Head coach | 2nd |
| Joey Lynch | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | 2nd |
| Nick Howell | Defensive coordinator/DBs coach | 1st |
| Justin Lustig | Associate head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach | 2nd |
| A.J. Blazek | Offensive line coach | 2nd |
| Norval McKenzie | Run game coordinator/running backs coach | 2nd |
| Alex Bailey | Wide receivers | 1st |
| Jovan Haye | Defensive ends coach | 2nd |
| Larry Black | Defensive tackles coach | 1st |
| Nick Lezynski | Linebackers coach | 1st |
| Dan Jackson | Safeties coach | 1st |