Clark Lea dismisses emphasis on Vanderbilt’s chance to hurt Tennessee’s College Football Playoff case

The Vanderbilt Commodores and head coach Clark Lea are getting ready to host the Tennessee Volunteers. It’s a game that they may not need extra motivation for but will have anyway, as the Volunteers attempt to make the College Football Playoff.

Ahead of the game, Lea did his best to dismiss the emphasis on Vanderbilt’s chances to knock Tennessee out of the Playoff race. However, he did add that the Commodores have plenty of other reasons to stay motivated for the game.

“Maybe externally for the Playoff stuff,” Clark Lea said. “That’s just not what we focus on. We’re excited to compete against our in-state rival, and again, we’re excited to play better. We want to play a better game against them, and that’s the opportunity we want to seize. We want to send our seniors out the right way.”

Tennessee isn’t currently in a position to make it to the SEC Championship Game. That means the Volunteers would be looking to make the Playoff field as an at-large team. However, an additional loss could prove costly.

“This is always the last game on the schedule. I’ve been sick to my stomach the last three years, whether it’s leaving Knoxville or leaving our stadium here. It doesn’t sit well,” Lea said. “So, that’s what our focus is on. How do we pull the best performance out of our team? How do we represent ourselves in a way that makes us proud?”

Clark Lea does feel how changes like the Transfer Portal have impacted how players view rivalries. However, given his personal history, Lea feels like he and his staff don’t need any added motivation against Tennessee.

“The era of college football is such that you have so much roster transition that I think some of the rivalries can be lost,” Lea said. “The unique thing about this game is that it’s extremely personal to me. Because I grew up in this city. I grew up following this program. I played in this program, as did Jovan Haye, as did some of the other staff members. So, we understand, and again, the meaning of this game cuts deep to us. So, my job is to communicate that and to communicate how important it is as a member of this football program that we prepare in a way and show up in a way that represents and reflects the pride of the Vanderbilt community and our university. So, maybe it’s a little old school, but that stuff still matters to me.”

Tennessee and Vanderbilt first played in 1892 and it was the Commodores who won 11 of their first 12 meetings. However, shortly after that initial streak ended, the balance shifted in this rivalry and Tennessee now holds an all-time record of 80-33-5. That includes a 22-game winning streak from 1983 through 2004. For his part, Clark Lea is 0-3 against the Volunteers.

“Now, when it comes to the actual game, we’re not going to be giving a pregame speech about it, because the actual game will be about execution and focus, just like it always is. I think what you want to understand in the emotional parts of this is how you channel that into energy and your preparation,” Lea said. “I think the more you can do that — when the ball’s put on the tee and it’s kicked off, all the rest of it goes out the window. But they know, and we’ve talked a lot about it. We’ll continue to talk about the importance of this game and, to be honest with you, again, performing better in it. That message was loud and clear yesterday. It was loud and clear today, and we’ll continue that way through the week.”

The game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt is scheduled to kickoff in Nashville at 12:00 p.m. EST on Saturday.