Vanderbilt is looking to end long SEC losing streak

Vanderbilt has long been known as the cellar dweller when it comes to football in the Southeastern Conference. But the Commodores are currently hitting a low never seen before in this storied league.

After Saturday’s 38-27 loss to South Carolina at home, second-year head coach Clark Lea is still winless in conference play after 13 games. Unfortunately, the former Notre Dame defensive coordinator inherited a long losing streak.

Before moving on from Derek Mason, Vandy lost four consecutive SEC games to end the 2019 season. The former Stanford defensive coordinator was brought back in 2020 as Vandy finished 0-9 in the SEC-only season. Lea arrived in 2021, and the Dores finished 0-8 in conference play.

Vanderbilt will make the trip to Kroger Field this weekend with an 0-5 mark in league play. The Commodores have now lost 26 consecutive SEC games. That is three games worse than the school-record 23 straight defeats that occurred from 2000-03. Vandy also had a 22-game streak from 1995-98.

There have been some bad spots for Vanderbilt football throughout the decades, but the current streak feels like rock bottom. In the modern era of the SEC, Vandy currently owns the worst losing streak and it continues to grow. Lea desperately needs to get that snapped to help get the rebuild off of the ground on the West End.

Back in 2003, Vanderbilt beat Kentucky 28-17 at home on Nov. 15 behind four touchdown passes from Jay Cutler to snap that long losing streak. On Saturday in Lexington, the Wildcats are looking to avoid being the team that saw the streak snapped against them.

Back in 2014, Kentucky ended its own very long 17-game losing streak by beating Vanderbilt 17-7 in September. That long streak is nine games short of the run Vandy is currently on. The Dores haven’t won a conference game in three years.

Kentucky will look to extend that streak to 27 games.