Vanderbilt defeats Austin Peay in season opening game at FirstBank Stadium

Vanderbilt opened its 2026 football season with a 28-9 victory over Austin Peay at FirstBank Stadium last Saturday. The game was called early due to a lightning delay with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. Vanderbilt kicker Brock Taylor successfully converted field goal attempts from 32 and 37 yards during the win. Defensively, Vanderbilt held Austin Peay to 2.5 yards per carry and limited the visitors to 57 yards on 24 offensive plays in the second half. Despite the win, head coach Clark Lea expressed concerns regarding defensive substitution timing and offensive line consistency after the Commodores struggled early in the game.

• 11:00 AMYahoo Sports — Lessons in Vanderbilt Football: Austin Peay