NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The spotlight in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) this weekend is solely on Vanderbilt as they prepare to face Hawai’i in a season-opening rematch. The duel, set to kick off at 6:30 p.m., will be broadcast live from FirstBank Stadium on the SEC Network. LIVE STATS
Who won the Vanderbilt vs Hawai’i last time?
This isn’t the first time these two teams have met to start their season. Last year, in a game that took the Commodores to Honolulu, Vanderbilt delivered a crushing 63-10 defeat to the Rainbow Warriors. That victory ended Hawai’i’s impressive run of seven straight home-opener wins.
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The 2022 game was a showcase of Vanderbilt’s offensive prowess. The Commodores exploded in the third quarter, racking up 35 points and ending the game with a staggering 601 total yards. Of those, 404 came from their ground game.
Under the leadership of head coach Clark Lea, Vanderbilt has been on an upward trajectory. As they gear up for their clash against Hawai’i at FirstBank Stadium, the Commodores are riding high on last season’s achievements.
Doubling their win tally in Lea’s sophomore year as coach, Vanderbilt also celebrated back-to-back SEC victories for the first time since 2018, with notable wins against Kentucky and Florida.
The Commodores’ recent nonconference record is also impressive. Since 2013, they’ve secured 26 wins in 36 regular-season nonconference games. Moreover, Vanderbilt has dominated against non-Power 5 teams, winning 18 of their last 20 encounters, including a clean sweep last season.
One statistic that stands out from Vanderbilt’s 2022 campaign is their time of possession. Ranking 21st in the FBS and fourth in the SEC, the Commodores held the ball for an average of 32:03 minutes per game.
This ball control has been a hallmark of Lea’s tenure, with the team averaging over 30 minutes of possession in both of his seasons at the helm.
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